Cannabis banned from Superbowl ads

The Super Bowl, the final of the American football championship organized by the National Football League (NFL) is known for its record-breaking viewership and its exorbitantly priced commercials, which are often original creations made specifically for the occasion. Cannabis almost made its way into the Super Bowl with the Acreage Holdings ad. That would have been the ultimate proof of its normalization, but it won’t happen this time around since the commercial was rejected. Cannabis remains a contentious and controversial topic.

The Impossible Task of Marketing Cannabis

The ads from the Super Bowl are usually offbeat and funny. That’s not the case with this ad, and for good reason: it addresses a serious topic—medical cannabis. It features testimonials from patients who explain how medical cannabis has improved their lives and denounce the injustice of its illegality.

This isn't the first time an ad has been rejected because it relates to cannabis. Weedmaps once purchased an advertising spot on a billboard for 50,000$ Times Square only to realize on launch day that her ad wasn't running. It had, in fact, been blocked by the company's lawyers, who had doubts about its legality. Justin Hartfield, founder of WeedMaps explained that It wasn't the first time this had happened to him, and he wasn't surprised.

In New Zealand, the very first advertising poster—from Helius Therapeutics‘ – promoting cannabis has sparked debate. The article is titled «Cannabis Is Medicine» and features a photo of Katy Thomas, a mother whose son has epilepsy and is treated with cannabis. Following its publication, numerous complaints were filed with the relevant authorities (Advertising Standards Authority).

Changing the Image of Cannabis

Advertisers promoting cannabis must be innovative in order to combat the stereotypes associated with its use. For example, to combat the stereotype of the stoner Medmen, a chain of dispensaries with locations in 18 cities across 3 U.S. states and nicknamed «the Apple Store of cannabis,» has launched a $2 million advertising campaign titled «Forget Stoner.» It portrays cannabis users as ordinary citizens who work in a variety of fields.

It seems, however, that cannabis’s negative image in society is still deeply entrenched. You can’t just brush aside 60 years of prohibition like that. Cannabis still struggles to be perceived and presented as a medicine. In fact, it’s to mock the fact that Big Pharma can market its products while cannabis companies cannot that the Oregon-based cannabis delivery company Briteside launched this offbeat ad.

The only two countries where it is currently legal to advertise cannabis are the United States (in certain states) and New Zealand.