Celebrities in Cannabis Reflect a Modern Era of Marketing

Top celebrity brands make their mark on the industry

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrity endorsements are a hallmark of modern marketing. Using a big name to promote a brand can help businesses reach untapped audiences and foster an identity that consumers will recognize and relate to. Celebrity spokespeople have come to cannabis as well, helping young brands blast off in the midst of a competitive market. No matter an individual's opinion on celebrity endorsements, it is certain they allow brands to make a splash. Top celebrity brands leverage fame and quality cannabis to win over consumers and fight to become the dominant name on the market.

Whether through an endorsement and royalty deal or equity stake in the company, celebrities can use their image to drive awareness for a brand or product, becoming the face of that marketing effort. Many celebrities have entered the ring for cannabis endorsements, including Justin Bieber, Whoopi Goldberg, Jay-Z and many more. There have been many notable successes, such as Mike Tyson's Tyson 2.0 brand in partnership with Columbia Care and Verano, closing in on $50 million in revenue. Beyond their involvement as endorsements, celebrities are also becoming investors and shareholders in the industry. Cann, for example, has enticed stars like Gwyneth Paltrow, Rosario Dawson and Adam DeVine, and now has 45 celebrity shareholders. Earned media and publicity are key in cannabis, and celebrities are sure to churn up news stories when they risk their standing to partner with a cannabis brand. Celebrity involvement is positive for cannabis as an industry, normalizing the plant in the mainstream media.

Besides being just the faces of marketing, many celebrities are getting in on cannabis by creating their own brands and product lines and taking strategic approaches to market to the masses, often to great success. Actor, producer and musician Jim Belushi, for one, created Belushi's Farm, in part, as a response to the opioid crisis, offering sun-grown flower as an alternative to illicit drugs. The estate of legendary Reggae icon Bob Marley developed Marley Natural, featuring THC and CBD flower, pre-rolls, vape cartridges and accessories. Singer, songwriter and Parrothead Jimmy Buffett helms Coral Reefer products, which includes a line of PAX Era pods, vapes and an infused balm to match his Key West lifestyle. Celebrities from all areas of influence have gotten into the cannabis space, adding their personal flair to beloved products.

"Brands are like children: they need a lot of care, cultivation and new ideas to take off and thrive," said Kathee Brewer, editorial director at Inc Media, parent company of award-winning trade journal mg Magazine. "Bringing in a shining celebrity endorsement can take a brand to the next level, even with the risks of backlash and interference that come with the territory. Whether spokespeople or the brains behind the products, celebrities in cannabis are changing the game and are here to stay."

Read mg Magazine's January issue here. Print copies are available by subscription.

Founded in 2015, mg Magazine is the multi-platform media resource retail executives, buyers, investors, manufacturers, marketers, and agencies in the U.S. cannabis industry turn to for the expert insight and analysis they need to drive revenue and growth. By providing actionable intelligence about emerging trends, best practices, and innovation, mg's principled, unbiased, factual journalism helps the industry navigate the present while preparing for the future. Visit mgMagazine.com.

SOURCE mg Magazine