Press Release

Cannabis Media Council Releases 2024 Update to Full Spectrum: Guidelines for Responsible Cannabis Advertising

The Industry’s First Standards for Cannabis Advertisements Now Includes the Impact of Cannabis Rescheduling on Marketing, Recommendations for Hemp-Derived Products, Updated Industry Data and Market Trends, and More

The Leading Cannabis Trade Association Also Announces New and Expanded Partnerships with Legacy Media Outlets: 46Mile, A Hearst Corporation; the Publisher of Rolling Stone and Variety, Penske Media Corporation; and Crain Communications’ Green Market Report

New York, NY, June 6, 2024 - The Cannabis Media Council, a trade association leveraging the power of advertising to advocate for mainstream awareness of cannabis, has released its 2024 update to Full Spectrum: Guidelines for Responsible Use. Launched in 2023, Full Spectrum: Guidelines for Responsible Use set an industry standard for paid advertising and marketing activity. The Guidelines, developed by marketing and advertising experts with deep experience in cannabis, were embraced by cannabis brands across the country and used as a reference when developing advertising campaigns for publishers and platforms now accepting cannabis ads. The updated report can be downloaded here.  

The 2024 Guidelines expand on the Cannabis Media Council’s original recommendations and respond to key changes in the industry including cannabis rescheduling and the growth of hemp-derived products. The Guidelines outline how hemp-derived products can be compliantly advertised on Meta properties (Facebook and Instagram) and responsibly advertised by following the Cannabis Media Council’s seven core pillars.    

“Our guidelines are already an industry resource and we hope their impact is expanded as more cannabis brands explore the power of advertising. The most important thing to remember is that cannabis brands can advertise. Our guidelines help these brands advertise responsibly,” said Amy Deneson, co-founder of the Cannabis Media Council. “This year’s guidelines report that cannabis brands currently spend less on advertising because they are capital constrained, highly regulated, and restricted, but also because they are unable to write off marketing expenses for their businesses. Later this year when cannabis is likely moved from a Schedule I Controlled Substance to a Schedule III Controlled Substance, companies will no longer be subjected to the restrictive Section 280E tax code. This will open significant new budgets for marketing and advertising.” 

A successful execution of the Cannabis Media Council’s guidelines is best exemplified through its ongoing partnership with 46Mile, a division of Hearst Newspapers. The Cannabis Media Council’s ‘I’m High Right Now’ campaign has experienced a successful run across multiple Hearst publications, and the two groups recently expanded their work to include an ad campaign for Reefer Madness The Musical to Hearst Newspapers Southern California audience. 

“Working together, we helped ‘I’m High Right Now’ reach almost seven million impressions. This campaign proves the power of responsible and creative cannabis advertising and continues to inspire our growing partnership with the Cannabis Media Council, including the creation of a unique affiliate partnership that helped fund the Cannabis Media Council’s ads in support of the revival of Reefer Madness The Musical,” said Rose Fulton, of 46Mile. “Brands that follow the Cannabis Media Council’s guidelines encourage publishers, especially legacy media, to update their policies and embrace cannabis advertising by ensuring the ads adhere to all regulations while also only appealing to an audience of adults.”  

In addition to updated guidance, the 2024 report also announces the Penske Media Corporation as the Cannabis Media Council’s newest Visionary Media Partner. The Penske Media Corporation has a longstanding history of supporting the cannabis sector through its legendary Rolling Stone magazine and the luminous Rolling Stone Culture Council as well as the popular tracks at SXSW. In partnership, the Penske Media Corporation will provide digital ad inventory for the ‘I’m High Right Now’ campaign to run across multiple titles. The Cannabis Media Council also partnered with Green Market Report, a Crain Communications publication and daily outlet focusing on cannabis financial news from soil to shelf, to share the guidelines as a business resource to help keep professional networks up to date on what’s possible for cannabis marketers this year and beyond.

The Cannabis Media Council is generously supported by donors and visionary media partners. Individuals, media companies, and corporations who want to support the Cannabis Media Council’s mission, expand reach of this current campaign, and fund future campaigns can make tax-exempt donations here or reach out to hi@cannabismediacouncil.com. 

About The Cannabis Media Council

The Cannabis Media Council is the first of its kind trade association on the mission to deprogram the war on plants and people. By leveraging the power of mainstream media to uplift wholehearted, people-centered advertising campaigns, the council strives to show positive experiences with cannabis in order to normalize consumption across generations and foster curious and confident consumers in order to grow the addressable market. The Cannabis Media Council founding leadership team includes industry pioneers from across the U.S. and represents the collective voice of over 400 industry members. To learn more, make a tax-deductible donation, or explore joining, visit cannabismediacouncil.com. Press assets can be downloaded here. 

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Contact Name:  Samantha Qualls

Email: samantha@cannabismediacouncil.com

Website https://cannabismediacouncil.com