If Marijuana were legalized, what would Marijuana Ads be like?

[7StringedBeast]

I was just thinking about this during lunch and I thought it would be a kind of fun discussion to have.  Let's pretend Marijuana has become legalized throughout the US and is treated somehow like beer or cigarettes are.  What would the ads be like?  Would there be TV commercials and print ads in magazines or on billboards?  Would we stereotypical images, or images of upscale people toking on a joint?

[kirksnosehair]

Dude:  *cough*  *cough*  *cough*

Other Dude:  *tokes*  *exhales*  "uh, yeah?"

Dude:  "got any Doritos?"

Other Dude:  "wow, man um wow"

Dude:  "I know, it's crazy, right?"

Other Dude:  "I'm thirsty"

Dude: "Hey, look at my fingers, man, my fingers are messed up"

Other Dude:  "whoa, fingers.....wow....yeah......"

[ZBomber]

Something like this, I would imagine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZBTki93pC4

[Adami]

"Wanna get high? Smoke pot"


I doubt it'd have to get more complicated than that.

[7StringedBeast]

Haha possibly.  They could definitely go to the point.  But they don't do that with beer.  The commercials are never just drink beer, get drunk.

[Adami]

Haha possibly.  They could definitely go to the point.  But they don't do that with beer.  The commercials are never just drink beer, get drunk.

Well that's cause being drunk is dangerous. And it's competing beer companies.

However if there were multiple marijuana companies competing, then the ads would be as random and pointless as any other commercial.

[7StringedBeast]

Well yeah there would definitely be multiple companies competing otherwise there would be a monopoly on weed which would then be illegal haha. 

I'm just wondering if the ads would be targeted to the average joe on football sunday like beer, or try to make it all social with cigarettes.  I'm thinking the ads would be kind of in the vein of smoke weed - get women.  Or something like that.

I feel like you wouldn't see stereotypes of stoners in commercials because they would figure those people would be buying anyways.

[Cool Chris]

I'm just wondering if the ads would be targeted to the average joe on football sunday like beer, or try to make it all social with cigarettes.  I'm thinking the ads would be kind of in the vein of smoke weed - get women.  Or something like that.

When I was in college my roommate and his friends got high all the time, and the last thing on their mind was women; it was just pot, Mario Kart, and Jack in the Box. But pretty much all ads these days are 'use our product - get women.'

It would be interesting to see pot companies competing with each other. Extending the beer analogy, would there be low-end pot like Milwaukee's Best?

[Adami]

"Life sucks? Smoke pot"

[7StringedBeast]

I'm just wondering if the ads would be targeted to the average joe on football sunday like beer, or try to make it all social with cigarettes.  I'm thinking the ads would be kind of in the vein of smoke weed - get women.  Or something like that.

When I was in college my roommate and his friends got high all the time, and the last thing on their mind was women; it was just pot, Mario Kart, and Jack in the Box. But pretty much all ads these days are 'use our product - get women.'

It would be interesting to see pot companies competing with each other. Extending the beer analogy, would there be low-end pot like Milwaukee's Best?

I would imagine there would be.  On the other side, I'm sure we'd see the champagne versions as well.  It's funny to think about because its still taboo today to an extent.  Although I'm guessing I will see full legalization in my lifetime. 

My guess is the ads would have to try to break down the stigma of weed and convince people who have never tried, to try it.

I can see it now, Martha Stewart's pot brownies.

[El Barto]

It depends on what they're trying to do.  Are they trying to entice people who don't smoke to start?  I think The Man would have a real problem with that.  More likely, they're trying to get established dopers to smoke their strain, or buy from their dispensary.  To that end, it's strictly Taco Bell advertizing.  Show them pretty pictures and tell them how many tacos for a dollar.

Also of note, from what I can tell of the legal variety, the dispensaries grow and market their own strains, so it's pretty much the establishment that's advertizing.  Very similar to a restaurant.   

[Scheavo]

I was trying to think of the last time I saw a cigarette ad, and I honestly can't remember. Do I just tune them out that completely, or do cig's not get advertisements on TV anymore? If that's true, I don't see why Marijuana would necessarily be different.

Honestly, the best advertisement would probably just be a picture of the marijuana in question.

[Ryzee]

I was trying to think of the last time I saw a cigarette ad, and I honestly can't remember. Do I just tune them out that completely, or do cig's not get advertisements on TV anymore? If that's true, I don't see why Marijuana would necessarily be different.

Honestly, the best advertisement would probably just be a picture of the marijuana in question.

I was thinking the same thing, and I can't remember the last time I saw a cigarrette ad- on tv anyway.  I think I've seen a few in magazines.  What I do see all the time are ads on tv telling you how deadly cigarettes are and condemning tobacco companies.  I'd imagine they'd probably do the same thing with weed if/when it becomes legal.

[7StringedBeast]

It is illegal to have a cigarette ad on TV.  They are still in print though.

[Scheavo]

It is illegal to have a cigarette ad on TV.  They are still in print though.

Oh. Some reason I only remember them making it illegal to target kids and teenagers.

[Ryzee]

It is illegal to have a cigarette ad on TV.  They are still in print though.

Well there you go.  But yeah, I've always figured that should marijuana become a legal product like alcohol & tobacco that it would be treated similar to tobacco, maybe even more demonized. 

[7StringedBeast]

Yeah I could see ads being banned from TV. 

I wonder how fast it would make its way even more into mainstream culture.  Because right now I feel like it is a kind of counter cultural thing still, but not as much as it used to be.  It's definitely getting more accepted.  I just wonder how far legalization and commercialization of it would push it into the mainstream, 2, 5, 10 years after the fact.

[King Postwhore]

"This is you brain on Pot"

*Cuts to a dude munchin' on those fried eggs from the original TV add*

"What?!  I've got the munchies!"

The end.

[7StringedBeast]

That's pretty good!  haha.  You should save that for when this stuff goes mainstream and make a killing off it.

[ddtonfire]

This sounds like a good Cracked Photoplasty.

[skydivingninja]

I imagine that they wouldn't have TV ads or billboards, like cigarettes.  Maybe magazine ads?  I dunno.  It would certainly be a whole new world to explore, marketing-wise.  Come to think of it, I need a job.  Time to lobby for congress to legalize this stuff so I can get a marketing job with someone.  Before May 6th, please, Mr. and Mrs. Congress. 

[Chino]

It depends whether the drug is perceived as a medicine or a recreational activity.

[7StringedBeast]

It depends whether the drug is perceived as a medicine or a recreational activity.

Hmm that's an interesting point.  I didn't even think of it being marketed as medicine.  I just assumed recreational.  I guess you might have certain companies claiming to have a medicinal strain or something and then they market it like an anti depression drug or something.  I could see that, but at the same time you would see recreational.

It's strange because there are good uses for MJ so it could be promoted that way I suppose, unlike cigarettes which are just plain bad for you.  Although, smoking MJ isn't really good for your lungs anyways.. 

I wonder if the government would even allow companies to advertise MJ as a medicine.

[Chino]

It depends whether the drug is perceived as a medicine or a recreational activity.

Hmm that's an interesting point.  I didn't even think of it being marketed as medicine.  I just assumed recreational.  I guess you might have certain companies claiming to have a medicinal strain or something and then they market it like an anti depression drug or something.  I could see that, but at the same time you would see recreational.

It's strange because there are good uses for MJ so it could be promoted that way I suppose, unlike cigarettes which are just plain bad for you.  Although, smoking MJ isn't really good for your lungs anyways.. 

I wonder if the government would even allow companies to advertise MJ as a medicine.

Until the debate ends over which it is, we aren't going to see any advertising. If it is considered a medicine, anything other than medicinal use advertising will not be tolerated. People would be in an uproar. On the other hand, I don't think we will ever see it as a recreational substance because it has been linked to the medicinal field. I think the fact it is considered a medicine is the worst thing to happen to the plant.

[Scheavo]

On the other hand, I don't think we will ever see it as a recreational substance because it has been linked to the medicinal field. I think the fact it is considered a medicine is the worst thing to happen to the plant.

There are some very legitimate uses for it as medicine. I know several people who may not be alive if not for the munchies during chemotherapy. I won't go into the whole list of other possible beneficial effects, becuase some of them get disputed, but marijuana is certainly not not medicine, even if it's not medicine.

[7StringedBeast]

Well the thing is with the medicine is that you could take a THC pill or smoke it through an E cigarette type thing.  But that's a whole other concept.

I think if Marijuana was legalized, I think it would also be for recreation like cigarettes and alcohol.  I don't think it would only be legalized under the guise of medicine.  I think possibly it would be medicinal first and then recreational would follow it. 

I would love to see the medicinal ads for marijuana though.  All the listed side effects at the end would be pretty funny.

[Super Dude]

Are we automatically assuming ads are legal? Because cigs are legal, but not cigarette TV ads.

[7StringedBeast]

Yeah I mean ads are legal, not sure what kind but I'm assuming they can have ads of some sort.

[Super Dude]

I think it goes without saying that they'll try to drop the stoner stereotype. I dunno, maybe they'll emphasize the health effects? I don't really know because I'm not sure what commoditized marijuana will look like, and what part of the pharmacy it'll end up in. It depends on what producers want the consumer to feel when using this product (high obviously, but what is there beyond that? Note this is a non-user speaking here).

[El Barto]

It also depends on whether or not it's Phillip Morris advertising for all of their brands, or a mom and pop dispensary. 

You can also take a pretty good clue from the imagery associated with fake-bake.  These people are definitely advertizing to the stoner crowd, not the cancer patients.

[Chino]

All of those are advertised as incense and are not for smoking purposes.

[El Barto]

All of those are advertised as incense and are not for smoking purposes.

Well, yeah.  But like I said, I think it's a pretty good clue how it might look.  I think the market's the same.

[Scheavo]

All of those are advertised as incense and are not for smoking purposes.

Well, yeah.  But like I said, I think it's a pretty good clue how it might look.  I think the market's the same.

I imagine more pictures of the strain your smoking on actual packages.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Funny. I was thinking of this exact same thing yesterday. I have no idea.

[senecadawg2]

High as a Wizard