Pride & Cannabis: Marketing Campaigns We Love

With the interwoven connection between cannabis culture and the LGBTQ+ movement, Pride is one of the many opportunities for cannabis brands to show their support loud and proud.

In general, the celebration of Pride Month can be a meaningful way for companies to demonstrate their support for LGBTQ+ rights and contribute to a more inclusive society. While it can be a fine and delicate line to cross between authentically promoting the community and simply building out a trendy marketing strategy – there are plenty of cannabis campaigns doing it right and showing their Pride loud and proud.

As we anticipate what impressive and colorful campaigns will come out of this year’s Pride Month, we’re diving into some of our favorite LGBTQ+ and cannabis-friendly campaigns from last year.

Celebrating Pride Month with Cannabis

The connection between cannabis and the LGBTQ+ community is as colorful as the Pride Flag. With both communities sharing marginalization and resilience to the industry, its diverse roots stem way beyond the days of legalization.

Cannabis and its culture have often promoted self-acceptance, challenged societal norms, and advocated for the rights and well-being of others. All this is quite similar to the LGBTQ+ pride movements, which both simultaneously experienced over the decades.

One of the many examples of medicinal cannabis becoming more openly used includes the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1908s – 90s. With little insight or research into the disease known, many patients turned to cannabis to alleviate symptoms of the sickness and from the side effects of the medications.

Fast forward to society today and you’ll often find cannabis-friendly events and companies share initiatives and efforts towards LGBTQ+ communities. Year-round, many cannabis businesses and dispensaries participate in pride parades, festivals, and with non-profit organizations for the LGBTQ+ community.

Regardless of how these two worlds come together, it is a fact that the cannabis and LGBTQ+ movements both strive towards achieving social justice and equity. Both movements work to address disparities in their communities for a more inclusive society.

Outstanding Pride Campaigns in the Cannabis Industry 

Celebrating Pride Month isn’t always about rainbows and smiles. Companies show and support Pride in a variety of ways, but others will ring more genuine compared to those who are in it simply for the marketing strategy.

However, companies with efforts towards supporting the LGBTQ+ community are often motivated to attract diverse demographics, foster a more inclusive work environment, and show alignment with evolving societal values. No matter how a cannabis company may choose to celebrate, find ways to directly engage and support your local LGBTQ+ community.

When it’s time for a cannabis company to celebrate Pride Month, we’re looking for brands that don’t just talk the talk. Here are a few Pride and cannabis marketing campaigns we love.

CANN’s Colorful Pride Campaign 

This THC-infused seltzer sizzled into the start of last year’s Pride Month with a bold, colorful, song-and-dance music video from star-studded LGBTQ+ creatives. Queer artists and advocates like Hayley Kiyoko, Patricia Arquette, Kesha, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and RuPaul’s Drag Race star Kornbread and Willow Pill joined forces in a choreographed dance to sing about how CANN is “Taste So Good.” 

The music video kickoff with the RuPaul Drag Race star feeling hungover from going out drinking the night before, and activist Gus Kenworthy offers CANN, a buzzy and alcohol-free social tonic. 

From there, the entire four-minute music video is a number filled with full spectrums of expression, sexuality, and chaotic color among an ensemble of artists. This collaboration between CANN co-founders Luke Anderson and Jake Bullock was done with the major record producer Leland and Juanjo Feijoo, Weedmaps’ CMO, to piece the Prideful cannabis campaign together.

Our cannabis marketing agency loved this Pride campaign for its unique playfulness in marketing to promote creativity and fun while echoing a strong and inclusive message from both communities. Plus, the song was incredibly catchy!

Image courtesy of CANN

Rythm & Pride 

Known for products and strains with a powerfully potent punch, Rythm’s cannabis vapes and flower are made to harness the full spectrum effects and unique qualities of each strain grown. During Pride month, they show this support for embracing uniqueness even further.

Rythm honors the LGBTQ+ community through various partnerships with local and national LGBTQ+ organizations. Each year, Rythm launches an exclusive cannabis vape product for June’s Pride Month celebration. Partial proceeds go to different local LGBTQ+ communities and organizations, one that they promote information about throughout the month on their website.

Last year, they continued their ongoing commitment to LGBTQ+ communities by partnering with impactful organizations local to each of their legal recreational markets. In addition to their support, the 2022 Rythm Pride vape cartridge was Strainbow, and each purchase was complimented a unique Spotify playlist that features LGBTQ+ artists and allies.

Each year, we’ve loved watching Rythm’s growing commitment to supporting the Pride community. By loudly and proudly sharing their contributions and presenting an exclusively exciting new vape cartridge, they’ve shown their support of LGBTQ+ to be transparent and true.

It’s what sets apart a good company from a Pride marketing stunt versus a great company with dedicated inclusive values.

Last year’s exclusive Pride cannabis vape courtesy of Rythm

Wyld’s Widespread Campaign

Wyld, one of the most popular edible gummy brands, has continuously demonstrated support and solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community in each of their legal markets for the past several years.

In Sacramento, California, Wyld has partnered with the Sacramento LGBT Community Center to provide educational and economic empowerment to individuals and families within the community. Pride Northwest is another community-based non-profit organization that Wyld has contributed support to in their Oregon and Washington communities.

Wyld collaborated with the Equality Federation last year to produce Wyld Pride t-shirts. These t-shirts were designed to raise funds and promote the Equality Federation’s initiatives on a larger scale. With all of Wyld Pride t-shirt proceeds going to this organization, the donations are put towards supporting the Federation and its upcoming Leadership conference.

Cannabis Creative recognizes and appreciates the inclusive platform Wyld has created for the LGBTQ+ community, with supportive efforts coming from all angles and legal cannabis markets. No matter where you shop their cannabis edibles, you are reassured they are directly engaging and helping others within that community.

Image courtesy of Wyld

Lowell Herb Company’s Prideful Touch

In celebration of the Pride season, Lowell Herb Company showed their colorful support by launching a Pride Pack of seven pre-rolls. In partnership with GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Lowell Herb Co. shared that 10% of sales would go directly to this historical and nationwide advocacy group for the community.

By supporting local artists and the Pride community, California’s family-owned farm company extended its efforts by starting the state initiative to hire nonviolent cannabis offenders. Included in each Pride Pack pre-roll purchase also included a beautifully illustrated poster by the LGBTQ+ artist Dina Rodriguez from Letter Shoppe.

With a subtle and simple touch of the Pride rainbow gradient in their pre-roll packaging, we love how this brand took it a step further by collaborating with queer artists in the community to make art for their pre-rolls.In reality, efforts during Pride Month should go beyond a rainbow-themed logo or donation write-off. It’s about directly lifting up artists and activists through your platform to highlight their unique qualities and promote free expression – and Lowell Herb Company’s campaign did just that.

Image Courtesy of Lowell Herb Company

Cannabis Creative – An Ally for the LGBTQ+ Community 

As both social justice and a budding new industry continue to evolve, both the LGBTQ+ and cannabis movements will continue to fight and advocate for free expression and inclusivity.

As a digital marketing agency in the cannabis space, we are always honored to connect, collaborate, and support LGBTQ+ – owned brands and thought leaders in the industry. Our agency is proud to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community throughout the month of Pride, and each month of the year, to promote diversity and inclusivity in our industry.

We look forward to seeing even more creativity and joy spark this Pride season through colorful cannabis campaigns and collaborations within local communities. As a consumer, be sure to stay on the lookout for ways to support LGBTQ-owned businesses and cannabis products throughout the month (and always!).

Ready to brainstorm a colorful and prideful cannabis campaign for your company? Contact our marketing agency today to learn about our social media and brand identity strategy services!