By Kimeko McCoy, Digiday on May 8, 2023

This past 4/20, Gbemi Maiyegun was surprised to see just how many mainstream brands were celebrating with cannabis-friendly ads, partnerships and marketing messages.

There were the usual suspects like Jack in the Box and Ben & Jerry’s (whose campaign called for justice regarding long-standing records for cannabis-related convictions), but also newcomers like Red Lobster and BIC, which partnered with Willie Nelson and Martha Stewart for a cannabis-themed campaign. Seemingly, cannabis-friendly brand partnerships and marketing messages are part of a growing trend as cannabis usage becomes more normalized in the U.S, according to Maiyegun, an independent brand strategy professional and co-founder of Weed for Black Women, an online community.

“From the conversations that we are having, it is evident that there are a lot of companies that are being more open,” she said, referring to an uptick in partnership inquiries for Weed for Black Women.

– Read the entire article at Digiday.