On October 17, 2018, marijuana became legal for both medical and recreational use in Canada. With this legislation, doors opened for many businesses to market and sell a booming product.
But under Canadian law, there are strict rules in place regarding the advertising of marijuana. In this article, we discuss how to promote cannabis in a way that won't get you in trouble.
What You Shouldn't Do
Here are the things you shouldn't do to promote cannabis in Canada since these methods are illegal.
Celebrity Endorsements
Celebrity endorsements work well to attract customers, especially if they have a large following; this includes fictional characters too. If you were thinking of using this method of marketing, then you're out of luck.
It's against the law to use any celebrity or fictional character to endorse marijuana in your advertisements.
Testimonial Ads
Testimonial ads is another key method marketers use. Word of mouth is important in getting the word out about your product, but unfortunately, you're not allowed to use this marketing tactic either.
Glamorizing Cannabis
Health Canada doesn't want cannabis glamorized, just like with cigarettes; they don't want children becoming interested in harmful products. This means you can't use attractive packaging, nor can you promote it on social media, especially under "stoner" or "druggie" lifestyles.
What You Should Do
Here are a few ways you can promote cannabis without breaking the law.
Informational Ads
it may seem a bit dry, but you're allowed to make informational ads on cannabis. This product is set to take the world by storm in all industries, so take advantage of that by presenting all the details on marijuana. By positioning yourself as a knowledgeable brand in the industry, companies in various industries will turn to you for their products.
Brand Awareness
Your brand identity doesn't have to be linked to cannabis, plus you're only product doesn't have to be that either. You can create branded merchandise to sell and pass out, so long as it doesn't reference a lifestyle related to using marijuana.
Reach Outside of Your Niche
This is similar to creating more brand awareness, but instead of creating branded merchandise, think of something else you can excel at that doesn't have anything to do with marijuana.
For instance, you can create a special energy drink that doesn't contain any cannabis. If your energy drink becomes popular, then your cannabis products will naturally follow in popularity. So instead of focusing your marketing on your marijuana and other related products, put your spend towards your energy drink.
Promote Cannabis in a Legal Way
With cannabis being legal in our country now, many are curious about trying it out to see if it's right for them. While you won't be able to use many conventional ways of marketing to promote cannabis, things will only be more challenging, not impossible. Think of it as a way of putting your marketing skills to the test.
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