Cannabis Advertising
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      Cannabis Advertising FAQs and Guidelines

      Answers to all your Cannabis Advertising questions

      Reach real, verified people in a compliant way for your cannabis campaigns. We will manage the campaign from end-to-end: audience creation, media delivery, and optimization, and reporting.

      Before getting started, please take note of the requirements to run cannabis campaigns:

      • Cannabis campaigns operate in both medically legal states and only target people who are of legal age to buy cannabis. These states are listed later in this document.
      • Each state has its own guidelines and creative requirements for cannabis marketing. Please be sure to refer to the creative guidelines later in this document.
      • Hemp-based campaigns can run nationally as long as they are targeting people of legal age. Note: ads from companies that sell both hemp-based and cannabis products and that drive to the company website must adhere to state-level targeting requirements.

      Please reach out to your account team to get started and see the FAQs below:

      How do I get started with cannabis campaigns?

      Before getting started please review our creative guidelines and ensure your ad creative adheres to local and state regulations before submitting it to us. Then, please reach out to your account team or contact us here to get started.

      What types of sites will cannabis campaigns run on?

      Cannabis campaigns will run on a wide variety of general interest sites that are non-endemic to the cannabis vertical to ensure campaigns can be targeted to mainstream audiences in a compliant way.

      What is the legal age to purchase and consume cannabis in the United States?

      The legal age to use cannabis in the states which have legalized cannabis is 21. In some states (such as Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut) minors may use certain forms of cannabis for medical use if certain specific conditions are met.

      Which channels and ad formats are supported?

      Campaigns will run on web & mobile display, mobile in-app display pre-roll video display (web & mobile), and CTV. Ad specs are the same as that of standard campaigns. Social is not currently supported due to the sensitive nature of cannabis campaigns.

      Can I run an email campaign for cannabis?

      Email is not available at this time as our current focus is display, video, and CTV for the cannabis vertical.

      Can I run a social campaign for cannabis?

      Social is not available at this time as our current focus is display, video, and CTV for the cannabis vertical.

      What is the pricing for cannabis campaigns? Is there a minimum spend?

      Pricing for cannabis campaigns is the same as that of our other display and/or video campaigns except for e-commerce campaigns. Please reach out to your account team for pricing for e-commerce cannabis campaigns.

      What reporting is available?

      Standard display and performance metrics are available for branding campaigns such as

      • Impressions served
      • Clicks registered
      • Click Through Rate (CTR)
      • Video plays
      • Video completes
      • Total number of conversions
      • View-through conversions
      • Click-through conversions

      What about privacy and content laws?

      We will only run cannabis campaigns in states where cannabis is legal. In addition, we will only target people who are of legal age to purchase cannabis. Finally, campaigns have strict creative guidelines that are audited to be in line with local regulations.


      Content laws vary state by state - please refer to the guidelines in this document for more detail as to what can and cannot be included in a campaign creative.

      How can we be sure cannabis campaigns will only reach people who are of legal age to purchase and consume cannabis?

      There are a number of mechanisms in place to ensure your campaign will only reach people of legal age. To start, we can link online and offline data points together at the individual level so we know whom we're reaching. On top of this, age controls for cannabis campaigns are also set at the publisher level.

      Can my ads contain images of people consuming cannabis?

      No. Advertising laws for content are strict, and most states don’t allow images of cannabis being consumed by humans or fictional characters. Please ensure your ad creative meets the creative guidelines specific to the state in which your ad will run.

      Is Foot Traffic Attribution available for cannabis campaigns?

      Yes. This is available for branding/awareness-based cannabis campaigns. Please work with your account team to include Foot Traffic Attribution in your campaign.

      Is native display available for cannabis campaigns?

      At this time native is not available. The channels available are web & mobile display, mobile in-app display pre-roll video display (web & mobile), and CTV.

      Geographic Guidelines for Cannabis Campaigns

      Cannabis campaigns (recreational and medical) are only permitted to run in the states where cannabis is legal. Additionally, hemp-based campaigns can run nationally as long as they are targeting people of legal age.


      **States marked with asterisks have additional approval and/or creative copy requirements specified later in this document.**

       

      RECREATIONAL CANNABIS MARKET GEOs

      1. Alaska*
      2. California*
      3. Colorado
      4. Illinois
      5. Maine*
      6. Massachusetts
      8. Michigan
      9. Nevada
      10. Oregon
      11. Washington (state) *
      12. Vermont
      13. Washington DC

      MEDICAL CANNABIS MARKET GEOs

      1. Arizona
      2. Arkansas*
      3. Connecticut
      4. Delaware
      5. Florida**
      6. Illinois
      7. Louisiana
      8. Maryland*
      9. Minnesota
      10. Missouri
      13. Montana
      14. New Jersey
      15. New Mexico
      16. New York
      17. Ohio
      18. Oklahoma
      19. Pennsylvania
      20. West Virginia
      21. Rhode Island
      22. Utah

      *Additional copy required within ad creative
      **State approval required to run an ad campaigns

      Advertisers must ensure ad creative and targeting comply with state and local regulations. Please consult an attorney for specific questions on state and local regulations.

      Creative Guidelines for Cannabis Campaigns

      All cannabis campaigns must adhere to the creative guidelines below. Please see additional state-specific creative requirements later in this document.

      • Creatives submitted by unlicensed cannabis companies will not be permitted to run
      • Any creative for an infused product must include “For Adult Use Only” within creative
      • Video creatives require minimum 3 days for approval
      • Creative should focus on branding, brand values, social equity, and location
      • Note: cannabis ads running in the state of Florida must first be approved by the state. We will operate only when approval is provided and confirmed by the submitting advertiser or agency.

      Prohibited content:

      • Any statement that is false or misleading
      • Advertisements that could reasonably appeal to young persons include the use of cartoons or characters. Creatives associated with or directed at youth culture are strictly prohibited.
      • Information about product price
      • Testimonials or endorsements
      • References to a product's strength, potency, or efficacy (i.e., an ad with the message “It works great!” will not be permitted to run)
      • References to lab testing results/data
      • Depictions of a person or character consuming a product
      • Claims of medical/health benefits or claims to diagnose, heal, cure, prevent, treat, or reverse any disease, condition, or illness. Words such as “restore,” “support,” “maintain,” “raise,” “lower,” “regulate,” or “stimulate” might create an implied disease claim if, in the context, they are used, they imply an effect on disease. Similarly, words like “prevent,” “mitigate,” “diagnose,” “cure,” or “treat” would be disease claims if the context of their use implied an effect on a disease.
      • Incentives for consumers to engage in exchange for free product
      • Statements that claim or boast about the legality of hemp 
      • References to literature, studies, or news articles about hemp

      ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS CAMPAIGNS

      Prohibited content:

      • Doctors promoting a particular dispensary
      • Statements that disparage a competitor’s product
      • Claims that a particular product is endorsed by the state where the ad is running


      Advertisers must ensure ad creative and targeting comply with state and local regulations. Please consult an attorney for specific questions on state and local regulations.

      Required copy by state for Cannabis Advertising

      The following copy MUST be included on creatives for campaigns run in the markets listed below.

      RECREATIONAL CANNABIS STATES

      STATE  REQUIRED AD COPY 
      ALASKA Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit-forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks associated with the consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children. State license number listed on
      creative.
      CALIFORNIA State license number must be listed on creative
      NEVADA Keep out of reach of children. For use only by adults 21 years of age and older.
      OREGON Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. For use only by adults twenty-one years of age and older. Keep out of the reach of children.
      MASSACHUSETTS

      All marketing, advertising, and branding produced by or on behalf of a Marijuana Establishment shall include the following warning, including capitalization, in accordance with M.G.L. c. 94G, § 4(a1⁄2)(xxvi):


      “This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breastfeeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence
      of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with the consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. The impairment effects of edible marijuana may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 or 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA.”
      WASHINGTON This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit-forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with the consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children.
      ARKANSAS Marijuana is for use by qualified patients only. Keep out of reach of children. Marijuana use during pregnancy or breastfeeding poses potential harms. Marijuana is not approved by the FDA to treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the
      influence of marijuana.
      FLORIDA Requires state approval for any advertisement. We will operate only when approval is provided and confirmed by the submitting advertiser or agency.
      MARYLAND Requires state approval for any advertisement. We will operate only when approval is provided and confirmed by the submitting advertiser or agency.
      OHIO 

      Campaigns can only promote the dispensary and cannot promote specific products. Additionally, campaigns may only use state-approved graphics and branding for dispensary campaigns.