This campaign is a perfect example of strategy, creative AND media working together.

While the idea of using stores "Next to Stok'd" was key, it could only work by truly understanding the social platforms sophisticated filters that screen out cannabis advertising. Working closely with the digital media team, we were able to build a plan for the creative to give the campaign the best chance to get passed the filters.

Furthermore, the "Next to Stok'd" strategy meant geo-targeting within 5km of the stores, so that everyone benefitted, from neighbour stores to Stok'd, as well as ensuring it was adult age-gated.

Cannabis sales in Canada have been legal for years. It's become as common as alcohol sales with literally stores on every corner. But cannabis advertising is highly regulated - to the point of being almost impossible.

While many use cannabis for recreational use, a significant amount of Canadians use it for health and wellness benefits to treat things like: chronic (back) pain, sleeping problems, anxiety, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Whatever the use case, cannabis in Canada is widely accepted and completely legal.

Situation:

Cannabis sales are legal in Canada and have been for years. Cannabis advertising? Not so much. In fact, the entire industry is highly regulated. Furthermore, social platforms (such as Meta and Google) and other media channels (OOH/radio) have sophisticated filters in place to screen out any advertising that promotes cannabis.

So how does a regional cannabis chain promote their stores?

Objective:

Drive traffic to the Stok'd site and in-store, as well as the neighbouring stores, and at the same time create a brand personality that connects with consumers to choose Stok'd over other cannabis retailers.

Media Insight:

Since the campaign was a 'neighbourhood' focused campaign, the geo-targeting was key. As well, ensuring it was only consumed by adults 21+. Above all that, the digital media teams insights on how to language the creative to get passed the social platform's sophisticated filters were key.

Idea:

When you can’t advertise your store, advertise your neighbours.

Creative launchpad:

Bookstores, nail salons, etc actually have a lot more in common with cannabis retailers than you would first think, in what they offer customers.

The plan:

Create a geo-targeted, adult-gated, multimedia campaign partnering with neighbouring stores to promote BOTH their own store and Stok’d. By using shared language/benefits while also promoting the proximity to each other, Stok’d could find an unconventional way to tell customers about their location, products and experience.

By partnering and collaborating with neighbouring stores, Stok’d would be able to outsmart the media companies' sophisticated filters that block cannabis advertising. The ads all finish with a CTA to visit the neighbouring business, which is located right ‘Next to Stok’d’.

Over the past 5 years in Canada, cannabis stores have popped up on almost every street corner. There are thousands of them. The challenge is to stand out amongst all of the competitors, including large national chains, to bring potential customers in.

Target/Plan/Approach

The media planning/strategy was to build upon the creative idea of 'neighbourhood' stores. So the campaign promoted Online Videos (OLVs) to within 5km of the stores, and Transit Shelters that were nearby the retailers.

Since cannabis is only legal for sale to 21+, we ensured the OLV buys was age-gated, and the TSA were digital to later in the evenings. Radio was late night local radio as well.

Finally, the target are those open to a more liberal lifestyle so through the social platform buying tools, we made sure this was a key psychographic.

For 4 weeks, the campaign ran across multiple mediums:

- On social platforms of facebook, Instagram, and Youtube (geo-targeted and age-gated)

- Digital transit shelters in the evenings nearby the stores

- Late night local news radio

As a small chain in a local market, the budget wasn't very large but with targeting, the reach to the target audience was quite extensive with over 40,000 views, plus lots of foot traffic with the nearby transit shelters.

The key to all of it was the implementation. All of the executions were created for the neighbour stores. New accounts were created, and then submitted as the neighbour store. This was to ensure the filters didn't see it was being executed in partnership with Stok'd.

The campaign was approved by every platform we submitted it to (social, OOH, and radio). All without technically breaking any laws, as the ads were officially promoting neighbouring stores.

With paid media (phase 1) followed up quickly with earned PR (phase 2), Stok'd was able to reach their local target audience, as well as a national audience, which helped build Stok'd's brand awareness and affinity. Most importantly, this 1-2 punch drove incredible business results.

Compared to the same period last year:

26% increase in-store customers

29% increase in new online customers

12% increase in revenue

Here are a few from top cannabis publications (who reached the target we were aiming for):

"The most creative marketing I've ever seen" - Cannabis Marketing

"Masterstroke Campaign" - Aggressive Organics

"Brilliant" - One World Cannabis

"Genius workaround" - Hobby Grower

"Unmatched ingenuity" - Joint Craft

"Revolutionizing Cannabis Marketing" - Business News

The Online Videos were a great way to build up on the local and neigbhourhood vibe of the brand and campaign. It also allowed Stok'd to reach consumers within a 5km radius of the store and age-gate it to 21+. Not to mention target those with a liberal lifestyle.

The Transit Shelters meant the targeting could be even more pinpoint to right outside the stores and through digital ensure it was in the evenings, and they were also shared on social.