For the first time, the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) in the UK approved an educational message on cannabis for advertising in the public domain. This was a major step for the cannabis industry in the UK given the often restrictive advertising rules for cannabis.
The informational cannabis campaign, which was approved by CAP, which is a sister organization of the Advertising Standards Authority and is responsible for applying the advertising codes written by CAP. The campaign by Endo Agency, specifically goes through details on the endocannabinoid system, and the news could set a new precedent for cannabis marketing and encourage the spread of objective information as legislation around cannabis continues to evolve.
The campaign is launching this week in multiple, prime Central London locations, including Westminster, Trafalgar Square and Oxford Street and will be on display for two weeks.
Figures show the industry is currently worth £690 million in 2021 despite fighting through a challenging climate and could usher in a new chapter of growth in the future.
“Allowing these new forms of advertising media helps the communication of complex ideas to become ‘intelligible and comprehensive’ by breaking the psychological shackles disallowing potential consumers the right to make well informed decisions,” Helaku Whyles from Endo Agency stated in a press release.
The United Kingdom is now widely in support of cannabis legalization, according to data from YouGov, with 53 percent in favor, 32 percent opposed to legalization and the rest undecided. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said recently he wants experts to look over the latest evidence to determine if decriminalization of cannabis would benefit the capital and country as a whole.
“For years cannabis companies have struggled to make any footprint through paid advertising, with very few brands able to have their campaigns cleared even globally. Confidence is starting to grow however, with the ASA & CAP allowing us to officially submit, and challenge old restrictions currently stopping the rest of the industry, we are confident of a new wave of growth for the space,” Marwan Elgamal from THC & Endo said in the release.
