San Francisco — Cannabis entrepreneurs and brands from coast to coast have joined forces to create the Cannabis Media Council, an organization that will tap the power of mainstream media to drive education and acceptance of the plant. The Council also intends to enlighten and encourage the mainstream outlets around the importance of making inventory available for cannabis-focused advertising.
The Cannabis Media Council will launch its first national, multi-channel ad campaign this fall, amplifying the many ways using cannabis has a positive impact on our lives in an effort to normalize consumption.
“We are daring to change the narrative and strive to be the collective voice in cannabis that, similar to the USDA’s “Got Milk” campaign, broadens consumer awareness and consideration for this amazing plant and her products,” said Amy Deneson, Co-founder of the Cannabis Media Council. “Checkoff programs with national, mainstream campaigns are standard in other industries but not yet sanctioned for the cannabis sector. In advance of national legalization, we are building the council to serve the growing industry’s need to connect with consumers.”
“The Cannabis Media Council is the consumer-facing think tank of thought leaders and doers for a new generation of legal cannabis entrepreneurs and our budding industry,” said Jake Wall, Chief Innovation Officer for Maison Bloom. “As a collective voice, the Council works tirelessly to combine our individual voices into a true chorus dedicated to impacting how we see, feel, and experience cannabis through well told stories delivered in the most powerful creative ways.”
Today, opportunities to shine a light on the positives and power of the cannabis plant are few, as the existing advertising network is limited. The Council aims to drive larger media inventory through connecting with publishers and educating on the opportunity to evolve their media and associated ad inventory. One premium national partner is the San Francisco Chronicle, the Council’s first publishing partner and a part of Hearst Newspapers. The collaboration includes tapping into Hearst Newspaper’s extensive audience networks and innovative native storytelling via their full-service advertising and marketing agency, 46 Mile, a part of the San Francisco Chronicle, which will be providing the inventory to launch the first campaign this fall.
“As the cannabis industry has evolved, Hearst Bay Area has leaned into its evolution. While this is an important coverage area, we also want to help change the dialogue across the country, which is one of the reasons we now publish Greenstate. A dedicated channel to the topic of cannabis, Greenstate aims to provide accurate information about the plant, dispel myths, and to help readers understand its health benefits and lifestyle options,” said Rose Fulton, principal of 46 Mile, a Hearst-backed fully integrated marketing agency. “In addition, while the industry has had limited marketing opportunities, one of our goals at 46 Mile is to give cannabis brands and organizations a platform to reach targeted audiences nationwide and continue to reflect Hearst’s own evolution by opening more representation throughout our beloved and trusted publications.”
“Though our industry has made massive progress on the regulatory side and today over half of the American population may legally purchase cannabis products, navigating advertising and media access is inconsistent and often the door is shut to our industry altogether,” said Joyce Cenali, Co-founder of Cannabis Media Council. “When access is offered, the industry is often overpaying compared to traditional industries or has to define advertising based on antiquated attitudes. The Cannabis Media Council seeks to unlock broader media access for small to large businesses alike, and to educate media partners on how to enable compliant and balanced inventory.”
Founders of the Cannabis Media Council are Joyce Cenali, of Big Rock Partners and Sonoma Hills Farm; Amy Deneson, of Pheno, and Lulu Tsui, of On the Revel. Board members include: Dale Sky Jones, Oaksterdam University; Ophelia Chong, Asian Americans for Cannabis Education; Annie Davis, Growing Impact; Rachel Boykins, MXXN, Good Tree Capital; Allison Disney, Receptor Brands, and Stephanie Honig, Napa Valley Cannabis Association.
Founding industry partners include more than 70 brands, including Almora, Asian Americans for Cannabis Education, Bad Hombre, Bear Humboldt, BIKO, CANN, CannaCraft, Chemistry, Clio Cannabis, Compound Genetics, Cosmic View, Country, Crypto Cannabis Club, Dompen, Eaze, Evergreen Herbal, Element Apothec, Flowerhire, Fume, Garden Society, Green Bee Botanicals, Headset, Heavy Hitters, Head and Heal, Henry’s Original, Heylo, House of Puff, House of Saka, Hudson Hemp, Indigo & Haze, K-Zen, Kikoko, Kiva, Lab Canna, Level Blends, Maison Bloom, Mannada, Meadow, Mendi, Miss Grass, Moon Made Farms, MXXN, NABIS, Napa Valley Cannabis Association, Nekktar, New York Cannabis Growers & Processors Association, Node, Nug, Oaksterdam University, On the Revel, Origins Council, Pacific Stone, Pantry, Papa & Barkley, Park Jordan, Pheno, Purple City Genetics, Rebelle, Receptor Brands, Root Sciences, Rose Los Angeles, Sava, Shoki, Sonoma Hills Farm, Surplus, Thric3, Tonic, URSA, Vertosa, Women Grow, Wunder, and growing.
Learn more about how to support the Cannabis Media Council mission and forthcoming campaign as a publisher, cannabis brand, business, or organization at cannabismediacouncil.com.
