Marketing Cannabis is tricky because there are so many rules and regulations to follow. These rules change between geographical locations and social channels, making it even more confusing!

Around 55 million people in the US are cannabis users, and by 2025, the legal marijuana market value is expected to reach a whopping $146.4 billion. 

Besides the increasing market value, Cannabis Marketing is promising as over 90% of adults support its legalization.

But marketing cannabis is highly challenging and competitive! Brands don’t know how to keep their social accounts from getting banned, win consumer trust and market their products through out-the-box strategies.

The easiest and quickest way to accomplish this is through cannabis marketing agencies.

These agencies have the experience and services to put your brand and products in the limelight while optimizing your reputation and brand identity. 

Many agencies provide solutions for brand design and packaging to make your products stand out from the crowd.

We’ve done the legwork for you and rounded up the best cannabis marketing agencies in 2023 and why you should pick them!

Ready?

Let’s go!

Why is Cannabis Marketing Different?

Cannabis marketing is different because it must adhere to the various advertising and social media rules that apply to advertising cannabis products.

It must also overcome a certain level of consumer skepticism, as many consumers still feel hesitant when it comes to buying and using these types of products.

Let’s explore these factors in more detail:

Cannabis Advertising Rules

Advertising cannabis comes with a lot of red tape. How much flexibility and freedom you have for cannabis marketing relies on which national and international laws apply to you. It’s vital to know that in some countries, like most of those in Asia, Europe, and Africa, cannabis is not legal. 

But Cannabis advertising rules don’t only change based on country. In the US, different states have separate laws and regulations for cannabis marketing too. 

For example, in New York, canna brands can’t place any advertising material within 500 feet of school grounds or use billboards. In California, you can’t advertise Cannabis products within 1000 feet of a school, daycare, or kindergarten. Brands must also ensure they display ads where 71.6% of the audience is over 21 years old.

Get clued up on the Cannabis laws within your target locations and stick to them. Avoid marketing in countries where cannabis is 100% illegal because your content may be censored, making it hard for buyers to find you. And in the worst-case scenario, you could face dire law-breaking allegations. 

Cannabis Social Media Rules

Social platforms like Facebook and Instagram are known to quickly flag cannabis brands for breaking community rules. On Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, canna brands can’t promote media like images and videos of people smoking a bong or joint, or vaping a cannabis product.

There are also standard rules for cannabis marketing on social media to regulate the market and keep users safe. A few rules are, brands can’t use cartoons or imagery appealing to minors and can’t promote over-consumption of cannabis or make any false claims.

It’s not only your content to consider. Your employees are a vital factor too. Employees must understand the cannabis advertising rules that apply to your brand and ensure they represent your brand in a positive light. The overall customer service you deliver must be professional and informative, without breaking the rules outlined above.

What happens if you break social media rules for cannabis marketing?

You’ll most likely:

• Get warnings that may lead to the removal of the content in question;
• Break international or federal cannabis marketing laws (with legal ramifications off-social media);
• Get a shadowban on your account, so it’s harder for users to find you; or
• Have your account blocked.

Getting your account banned isn’t as easy as starting all over again. Brands lose credibility for constantly being kicked off social platforms and waste loads of social media marketing resources in the process.

Starting your social media marketing efforts all over again will harm your reputation and hinder your progress.

It doesn’t mean social media marketing doesn’t work for cannabis brands. In fact, 77% of marketers say social media is somewhat to very effective for marketing, so you don’t want to miss out on this!

Consumer Skepticism Towards the Cannabis Market

When cannabis became legal in the US and other countries, it didn’t mean everybody was suddenly on board. Cannabis brands must be more considerate of how they approach cannabis marketing because this is still a grey space for many consumers.

While you may be passionate about cannabis you must respect your overall society, and approach your marketing messaging with skepticism in mind.

However, if you make false claims, post illegal content or market cannabis to minors, you’ll give the industry a bad name and quickly lose consumer trust and interest. Fortunately, sticking to the social media and advertising rules will help you stay on track.

Similarly, avoid making harsh statements or singling out customer bases that don’t support cannabis. While your brand may want to raise awareness about the benefits of cannabis, you must understand this market is still in its infancy.

It may take some time before more consumers globally hop on the cannabis bandwagon. Until then, promote cannabis in a positive light, using truthful and substantiated information, respect different buyers’ opinions on marijuana, and stick to the advertising rules for the area you’re in and the platform or channel you’re using.

Source: The Hood Collective 

How We Selected the Top Cannabis Marketing Agencies

When we did this review, we looked at dozens of cannabis marketing agencies to find the best ones, based on our assessment of their:

1. Services. The cannabis marketing services agencies offer are crucial to consider. What you need relies on your business and desired goals. We have cannabis marketing agencies offering well-rounded services from product design and packaging to digital marketing. However, if you only need guidance with digital marketing strategies, many cannabis marketing agencies specialize in various practices like SEO or social.
2. Portfolio. Because cannabis marketing is so different, your agency must have a strong portfolio. A sound track record proves cannabis marketing agencies understand how to promote brands in this environment and target the right buyers.
3. Case Studies. Case studies are the next factor to consider after an agency’s portfolio. While an agency could have worked with many brands, case studies validate how well they achieve results. Consider case studies for brands like yours and determine whether an agency is likely to help you succeed.
4. Experience. As cannabis marketing is new to the scene, not all agencies have been around for decades. However, consider what an agency has accomplished in its time operating. Does the agency have awards or recognition? What do industry experts say about the agency? Does the agency feature in any noteworthy publications? How experienced are the individuals in their marketing team?
   

Right, lets take a look at the top agencies we selected:

12 Best Cannabis Marketing Agencies

1.HIGHHOPES

HIGHHOPES specializes in cannabis design and marketing services to put your brand in front of targeted buyers. This agency is best for startups and mid-level businesses looking for in-depth cannabis marketing services.

HIGHHOPES can design and manage your dispensary, develop a customer-centric website, create a logo, and design and produce custom product packaging. Plus, HIGHHOPES provides traditional marketing solutions too, like in-store collateral and print media.

Source: HIGHHOPES

2.Blue Dream

Blue Dream is all about delivering creative marketing services for cannabis brands. You can work with Blue Dream to develop tailored branding for your cannabis business and define your storytelling to engage and attract qualified leads.

Working with this agency, you can optimize every touch point of your marketing funnel and ensure your customers are reminded of your value and mission. Adding the final touches to your brand Blue Dream can design and produce custom packaging for your canna products.

3.PufCreativ

PufCreative takes cannabis marketing to a new level with comprehensive services for small, mid-level, and large businesses. This agency offers SEO, content marketing, social media marketing, video marketing, and mobile marketing.

PufCreative can also design your logo, brand strategy, brand identity, website, and mobile apps. And if you need photography, PufCreative has that too! You can market your products and brand through high-quality photography, highlighting the best features of your products.

Source: PufCreativ

4.Winston Digital

Winston Digital may offer a short list of services, but this agency is best for startups and small businesses. These cannabis brands can run PPC ad campaigns for maximum awareness and increased web traffic.

You can also work with Winston Digital to design and develop a website that reflects your brand identity and values and connects with your target buyers. All of Winston Digital’s services revolve around customer-centric content, and this agency uses expert SEO techniques to ensure buyers find your content.

5.Wick & Mortar

Wick & Mortar is a full-service cannabis marketing agency with a strong portfolio and impressive services.

This agency can boost your canna brand through product design and packaging, web design and development, and buyer-centric marketing campaigns. Businesses can leverage professionally-designed websites to inform and persuade target buyers while benefiting from custom brand identity and storytelling services. Wick & Mortar also deliver SEO and product photography!

6.CBD Advertising Agency

CBD Advertising Agency is unlike like any other cannabis marketing agency. This agency specializes in helping canna-businesses increase visibility and traction through expert SEO and content marketing campaigns.

The CBD Advertising Agency will create content and optimize your web presence to drive customer interest and organic traffic They can also design and implement tailored backlink strategies. This agency takes an extra step and promises to generate more organic web traffic within 30 days.

7.Cannabis Creative

Ever thought of working with a performance-based cannabis marketing agency? Well, Cannabis Creative is one of the best options! This agency specializes in award-winning websites for cannabis marketing and marketing that drives results.

With extensive experience in web design and development, content marketing, and SEO, Cannabis Creative knows just want your brand and buyers need to maximize revenue. Cannabis Creative will also design and produce packaging for your products.

8.CannaPlanners

CannaPlanners is passionate about helping the cannabis industry and brands and offers an expert collection of services to accomplish this.

You can expect web design and development, email marketing, SEO, product design and packaging, and brand identity. With CannaPlanners, brands can optimize organic web traffic, customer engagement, brand loyalty, and brand awareness. What’s also great about CannaPlanners is they have a super informative blog for canna brand owners.

9.Global Cannect Agency

Global Cannect is the ultimate cannabis marketing agency for mid-level and enterprise businesses. This agency will optimize and enhance your web design and development for better organic traffic, page load times, and web conversions.

Cannabis marketing experts will guide you through product design, packaging, and innovative launches to engag more targeted buyers and raise brand awareness. Global Cannect provides standard canna marketing services too, like logo design, branding, and digital marketing.

10.Hazy Marketing