Cannabis advertising now possible on Twitter
Elon Musk 's arrival at Twitter has turned codes upside down. Very open-minded on many subjects, the South African-born billionaire recently decided to authorize the advertising of cannabis-based products on his platform. Naturally, not everyone will have access, and advertisers will have to respect certain obligations if they wish to position their products in your feeds. Here's how it works.
Before Twitter
Twitter allows CBD and cannabis ads
How do you advertise on Twitter?
What about other social networks?
The launch of cannabis ads on Twitter
Before Twitter
Prior to this decision by Twitter, the policies expressed by social networks on the subject of cannabis advertising were very clear: they were totally forbidden. Whether cannabis or even CBD was allowed in a particular location, whether the products contained no trace of THC, the platforms didn't really care.
Thus, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and all the others prohibited (and still prohibit in some cases) the advertising of products derived from cannabis or hemp. Launching campaigns could be very costly, with possible bans and therefore the impossibility of generating online visibility.
But things are changing... and very quickly, as you're about to find out.
Twitter allows CBD and cannabis ads
The Twitter platform has been in the spotlight ever since it was taken over by billionaire Elon Musk. Recently, it surprised everyone by becoming one of the first social networks to officially authorize the advertising of cannabis-based products. Advertisers will thus be able to promote their CBD- or THC-based products.
"Twitter is a fun and engaging space for users to recount their experiences with cannabis, whether this relates to medical, wellness-related or recreational use, and also to recommend brands, products or outlets," the US platform opined in a recent press release.
A golden opportunity for the bluebird network. Indeed, since Musk took over, and following all the decisions he made to revitalize the social network, many companies have decided to leave, preferring quieter, better supervised networks. Beware, however. Cannabis-related advertising is, and will remain, strictly supervised by the teams in charge of monitoring everything that goes on.
How do you advertise on Twitter?
In order to promote their cannabis-based products, advertisers will need to receive authorization from Twitter. In addition, they must have a license to sell CBD or THC products, issued by the relevant authorities. Finally, they will only be able to advertise in areas and jurisdictions (notably in the USA) where the consumption of CBD and/or THC is authorized.
These advertisements may only concern customers aged 21 or over. In addition, only topical products containing less than 0.3% THC may be promoted. Finally, advertisers will not be allowed to make any claims about the health benefits of cannabis.
Communication teams will have to be very careful to avoid the slightest faux pas. For the moment, this service is only available in the United States and Canada, but it could eventually be extended to certain European countries where cannabis has been legalized or is in the process of being legalized.
What about other social networks?
Despite these restrictions, Twitter has become the first social network in the world to open up to the issue of cannabis. A step ahead of the competition, even if the lines are moving.
Google, for example, was (very) reluctant to allow cannabis advertising for a long time. However, the company recently reconsidered its position, probably believing that the financial interest was real. As a result, some companies are able to promote their hemp and CBD cosmetics products in certain US states, including California, Colorado and Puerto Rico.
On the Meta side, Facebook and Instagram share the same policy: anything related to CBD or THC is totally prohibited. "Attempts to buy, sell or trade non-medical drugs, pharmaceutical drugs and cannabis by individuals, manufacturers and retailers," according to the company's rules. While advertisements for CBD and THC products are banned, advertisements for hemp -based products remain permitted.
Instagram, in its commercial terms of use, adds that the company "does not allow individuals or organizations to use the platform to advertise or sell cannabis, regardless of the seller's state or country." On the network of the moment, TikTok, everything is severely censored. Finally, on Reddit, advertising is now authorized for "topical and non-edible products derived from hemp " in the United States.
The launch of cannabis ads on Twitter
An announcement that is bound to be welcomed by many, not least industry professionals, who are delighted to see that they will finally be able to put their products in front of a larger share of the population. "This move is testament to the growing acceptance of cannabis as a mainstream wellness category, and we hope it will act as a catalyst for other social media platforms to follow suit," said Kate Lynch of Curaleaf.
Companies have also received an introductory offer. Until March 31, the value of their spending will be doubled. As soon as a company spends $10, the value of its campaign will, in fact, be $20. Enough to attract quite a few people, even if this offer remains limited in time.
At last, it seems certain that this novelty will be scrutinized by quite a few decision-makers, especially at Google and Meta. After all, it's on these platforms that advertisers spend the most money. Results, attitudes and returns will therefore be closely studied. If successful, Twitter may decide to go even further, and at the same time force its competitors to do the same.
