CBD products (a non-psychotropic substance found in cannabis) have recently gained immense popularity in the US, becoming a billion-dollar industry. Liquid for electronic cigarettes and vapes, pain relief creams, patches, sweets for every taste, as well as capsules and mixtures have become commonplace. Recently, CBD became such widespread in the United States that it is hard to imagine a place where these products are not sold or diseases that are not treated with it. Consumers say they take it for muscle pain, arthritis, anxiety, epilepsy, and post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Thus, the number of cannabis dispensaries has grown exponentially. Not surprisingly, this controversial sector is actively attracting the attention of investors. However, it is becoming harder to stand out from the crowd and promote the cannabis business online. We have asked weed SEO experts from Mj SEO Agency to help us figure out what marketing strategies do and don’t work for this niche and how to succeed in this market. 

Determine your target audience

Who exactly buys cannabidiol products? According to a survey of 5,000 CBD consumers conducted by the Brightfield Group, millennials were the first to buy CBD after it was legalized in various states. They are followed by buyers of just over 30, among the forty-year-olds, demand gradually decreases, but again increases in the age group from 50 to 60 y.o. The last category of buyers is primarily interested in tinctures, creams, and capsules, which are used for diseases associated with aging, such as arthritis or chronic pain. Among CBD users, there is a roughly equal number of women and men.

There is also a promising Brightfield Group research that gives a nice overview of the overall monthly spending on cannabis products among the consumers who use cannabis at least several times a week:

• 30% of them spend over $250 a month on CBD products;

• 16% spend between $150-250 a month;

• 25% spend between $50-150 a month;

• all the rest – less than $50.

With all your statistics together, you can start using a variety of marketing and advertising channels to drive traffic to your landing page and generate new leads. How to run a successful marketing campaign in this niche? Let’s figure it out.

Effective marketing campaigns to keep in mind

Why do some marketing campaigns work while others fail? Obviously, those brands that can surprise, entertain and grab the attention of a large audience have all the chances to succeed. Some great ideas on how to promote your cannabis brand can be found in the Smart Business Daily article. Also, we will share some examples of successful campaigns for your inspiration below:

1) Cannabis train tickets 

Berlin’s public transport network BVG is offering passengers to buy special edible tickets soaked in hemp oil. In this way, the carrier wants to relieve customers of stress and distract them from their daily routine. The cost of one ticket is 8.80 euros. They are made from edible paper and soaked in three drops of hemp oil. The BVG states that the oil was derived from hemp seeds and, therefore, unlike flowers, does not contain addictive intoxicants but merely acts as a natural sedative.

“This way, you can travel around Berlin for a whole day without the hassle and then just swallow the stress along with the ticket,” the company said. The pass is valid for 24 hours and is “perfectly harmless and legal.” An advertisement for the new tickets was published on the carrier’s YouTube channel.

2) The tastes of your favorite Netflix series

In 2017, Netflix and California drugstore marijuana brand AHHS have released twelve weeds dedicated to the flavors of your favorite show. This is how the streaming service promoted the release of the new season of the TV series “Disjointed.” The authors were inspired by Explosive Thing, BoJack Horseman, Orange Is the New Black, Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later, Mystery Theater 3000: Return, Grace and Frankie, and other Netflix series.

Technically, Netflix doesn’t sell marijuana. Together with lawyers, the video service spent a lot of time figuring out how to distribute weed under the Netflix brand. As a result, 12 types of pharmacy marijuana appeared in the spirit of different series. Finally, Netflix sold 27 pounds of weed almost immediately. 

3) Marijuana bombing from a drone

“Israel “was bombed” with marijuana from the drone” such headlines appeared in the local news on the 3rd of September 2020. The inhabitants of this Middle Eastern state cannot be called not ready for various “surprises.” However, such a “bombardment” was a surprise for locals: small bags of marijuana fell from the sky onto the square in the very center of Tel Aviv. A specially prepared quadcopter appeared over Yitzhak Rabin Square on a Thursday evening and began to scatter hundreds of small bags of cannabis from the sky. The locals spent some time in confusion and then rushed to pick up “heavenly gifts.” 

An unusual action was organized by a group of Internet activists called “Green Drone.” Although the distribution of soft drugs was a surprise to many residents of Tel Aviv, in fact, agitators for the legalization of cannabis in Israel announced it in advance. This is how creative dealers announced the “cannabis rain” project – a new way to deliver their goods to consumers.

In Conclusion

A creative, well-thought-out, and skillfully executed marketing campaign is not only a means to increase sales or attract additional customers: top campaigns have a powerful impact on the positioning of a particular cannabis brand, change the advertising market as a whole, and ultimately have a decisive impact on the culture of consumption in the particular country and worldwide. On the contrary, the “marketing campaign” you haven’t heard about can be considered unsuccessful. This is because the final task of any campaign is to attract attention and make people talk about it and share it with friends. If it doesn’t happen — you should change your approach or change your personnel. Get inspiration from the above-mentioned examples and share your success stories with us.