The field of cannabinoids is ever-evolving. New cannabis-based products come to market all the time. The latest is Delta-8 THC. Delta-8THC products are the closest that you’ll get to “being blazed” without actually smoking weed. And the best news? Delta-8 THC is now a legal cannabinoid countrywide.
Leave it to the Feds to ruin a good time though. Right on cue, here they come to put a big old asterisk on the word “legal.” Turns out there’s a lot of regulations around advertising Delta-8 THC products. This is why we can’t have nice things.
It is, however, not the end of the world. With the right marketing partner to show you how to advertise Delta-8 THC products, there’s still a new and emergent market ready to be explored. Let’s take a minute to appreciate Delta-8 THC for what it is before we explore the finer points of cannabis marketing.
What are Delta-8 THC Products?
There are literally more than 100 different compounds in cannabis. The one that gives you that nice, relaxed feeling when you smoke or vape is Delta-9 THC. It can melt away anxiety, help stimulate your appetite, or put you to sleep. Delta-9 is the reason that cannabis is the cultural icon that it is, but as new research unfolds, researchers are finding other compounds, like Delta-8 THC, have beneficial qualities in terms of health and well-being.
Compared to Delta-9, the Delta-8 compound produces a much more immediate, yet mellow feeling that’s free from the associated anxiety of normal weed. It hits your body right away, calming you and increasing your focus. Researchers project that Delta-8 THC could be the right entrance ramp to other cannabis-infused therapies for sensitive patients. Kind of like training wheels.
Now that it’s legal nationwide, manufacturers are looking to infuse all kinds of products, from carbonated drinks to vape pods, with Delta-8. So now the question is, how to advertise for Delta-8 THC Products?
The Trouble With Advertising Delta-8 THC Products
Advertising for cannabinoids is muddy water. That’s because legalization is a state-by-state decision. Regardless, many substances are still illegal on the federal scale. That makes large-scale advertising difficult to say the least.
For instance, advertising via a digital campaign is tricky and governed by federal laws. You can’t advertise any kind of recreational drug through avenues like Google. That means advertising new Delta-8 THC products is out of the question as well.
TL; DR, federal law really sucks.
Traditional ad campaigns are no different. Cannabis is on everyone’s minds, from the guy that just wants to relax and binge Netflix on a Saturday night, to doctors studying the plant’s effect on cancer cells. It’s part of current national conversation, meaning that state laws and regulations are in a state of continual change right now. Advertisers are therefore at the mercy of 50 different sets of laws, which are subject at any moment to federal interference, I mean oversight.
Tips on How to advertise Delta-8 THC Products
So how does a company navigate marketing waters like these? It’s a combination of attitude and approach.
Advertising Delta-8 THC products requires that you package yourself as a resource, not a company pushing what may be perceived by some members of the public as “harmful.” Think the crash of big tobacco marketing.
Seek to educate your customers on the benefits of using cannabinoids for issues like anxiety, chronic pain, or as an appetite stimulant. Couple that with your method of approach. Social media provides a great way to engage in digital marketing while avoiding the pitfalls of federal regulation. Package your advertising efforts as educational content that can be easily shared via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Advertising a new cannabinoid is no easy task. The rules and regulations surrounding cannabis on both the state and federal level are labyrinthine. Now is the time to strike with Delta-8 THC products though. They are the closest universally-legal option to Delta-9, and they’re brand spanking new. If you don’t feel like navigating alone, it pays to enlist a marketing partner like CBDeebly with experience in the cannabis marketing space. With CBDeebly in your corner, your company can figure out how to advertise for Delta-8 THC products in the most effective way possible while flying under federal radar.