It’s that time of year again—the unofficial marijuana holiday 4/20. And as has become tradition, a lot of brands, celebrities and organizations are leveraging the occasion to promote cannabis-themed campaigns and products.
There are some of the usual suspects—like Jack in the Box, Weedmaps and Ben and Jerry’s—as well as general mainstream brands like Red Lobster that are getting in on the cannabis culture festivities.
With more states moving to legalize marijuana, and markets expanding across the country, it seems that U.S. brands are becoming more comfortable openly embracing the 4/20 holiday and tapping into the consumer base, despite federal prohibition.
“Some brands dip their toes into 4/20 with a lighter execution—something with a wink and a nod,” Jack in the Box CMO Ryan Ostrom told Adweek, announcing the fast food chain’s partnership with Weedmaps for this year’s holiday. “We want to put a stake in it and own the moment for quick-service restaurants.”
Darin Dugan, CMO at Jimmy John’s, said that the chain’s “bold and irreverent personality allows us to have some fun in the 4/20 space, which not all brands can do,” and that will involve marketing a “Munchie Crusher” sandwich, as well as a limited-edition wrap rolling paper at an in-person event on Thursday.
Meanwhile, politicians and government agencies are also marking the cannabis holiday on social media, with countless posts touting progress on reform and demanding further action to end prohibition. (Full Story)