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S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T B Y M A S S L I V E M E D I A Advertising Regulations Won't Stop You from Reaching Your Audience- If You Find the Right Partner A n inconsistent legal landscape in the U.S. has resulted in complicated marketing challenges for cannabis companies, including Google and Facebook effectively banning almost all types of cannabis advertising. In Massachusetts, the state's Cannabis Control Commission further regulates advertising with a particular focus on verification of a pre- dominantly 21+ audience, strict rules around health benefit claims, and even imagery used in the advertisements. Despite non-medical use of cannabis being legal in Massachusetts since 2016 there are still many advertising and marketing mediums that either don't allow it or haven't done the required work to meet CCC standards. As with any other industry, can- nabis retailers want to effectively target their messaging to the right audiences with the correct positioning and messaging. Digital marketing and online premium publishers offer the industry ideal methods to effectively and legally target the right audiences and do so in an environment of content consumption that elevates their brand. Premium publishers- websites with an optimized web design, engaging content, and a significant and loyal audience- pro- vide better results for the ads served on there than other sites. Different sites provide different levels of quality, so where your ads show up is almost as important to your campaign's success as how they look. e Halo Effect is the li in trust and engagement a brand receives from advertising on a premium publisher's site. is hap- pens when readers see ads on a site they already have a high level of trust and engagement with; then those feelings transfer onto the ad being seen. Most importantly, however, is that Premium Publishers own the data insights that they have on their audiences. By part- nering with the right companies with the right data, cannabis companies can target in ways that they can't yet on Google and Facebook. Working with a premier publisher that has grown its own quality audience gives you access to first party data that allows you to target your marketing to the people you want to reach, and maximize their marketing in this environment. S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T B Y E L E VAT E Doing Well and Good in Massachusetts Cannabis By #TeamELEVATE W hether in Worcester, MA or Washington, D.C., positive impact planning is something that must go beyond checking off a box on a cannabis business's license application. In Massachusetts, cannabis licensees are re- quired to put forth a Positive Impact Plan (PIP) when applying for licensure in the Commonwealth. Perceived as an expensive burden or heavy regulatory hand by some, the Massachusetts PIP requirement was put in place to ensure that those profiting from the regulated cannabis industry were also committed to restorative justice for the individuals and communities most disproportionately harmed by cannabis prohibition and drug law enforcement. From park clean-ups and sustainable packaging, to inclusive internship programs and charitable donations to veterans groups, some businesses are proving to be admirable stewards of positive impact. Meanwhile, other licensees make excuses to "wait until aer COVID" or do the bare minimum – and deservedly risk fines or nonrenewal for noncompliance. ose not executing effective PIPs also risk alienation from the Commonwealth's increasingly informed and socially conscious consumer base. But the burden of doing good shouldn't just be required of licensees, particularly when some licensees and hundreds of applicants are certified Economic Empowerment Applicants, Social Equity Program participants, or Disadvantaged Business Enterprises. Landlords, architects, engineering firms, security service providers, landscapers, law firms, financial services firms, marketing agencies, plumbers, electricians, caterers, couriers, and countless other businesses in Worcester and beyond capitalizing on "the green rush" share an ethical obligation to do good in cannabis. To ignore that responsibility is a shameful exploitation of the very privileges denied to those most harmed by the War on Drugs. Doing well and doing good isn't hard, and doesn't have to be a significant financial investment, especially when we work together, as exemplified by the Worcester Business Journal and all the sponsors and speakers participating in the 2021 Business of Cannabis forum. Fortunately, as it grows – and as pandemic-related restrictions li – the Massachusetts cannabis industry is ready and ripe for cannabis businesses to engage in charitable and socially responsible and environmentally sustainable activi- ties, and in doing so, help break stigma for the cannabis plant and those who use and work with it.