On January 1, 2014, recreational marijuana became legal in the state of Colorado. Hapa Sushi, a Colorado restaurant franchise, wanted to celebrate the new legislation. But while the rest of the country was busy linking the legalization of marijuana to junk food and video games, we wanted to reach people who would appreciate a more refined conversation.

We elevated the conversation around legalization, and treated fine weed like fine wine by creating the world’s first weed-and-food pairing menu. Popular strains of marijuana were paired with the Hapa entrée they would compliment best. We expected the campaign to spark an increase in foot-traffic, phone orders and overall sales for the restaurants.

The pairing menu received national and international coverage from news organizations like CBS, FOX and BLOOMBERG. Hapa saw a double-digit sales increase in the week following the release, and phone inquires about the menu reached an almost unmanageable level. The menu had staunch supporters and opponents, both of which helped brand awareness achieve an all-time high.

While Hapa Sushi’s light-hearted approach to advertising allows them to embrace topics like legalization, the restaurant also has a sophisticated menu that must be respected. Creating a weed-and-food pairing menu combined these two attributes and capitalized on current popular culture.