WM Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAPS) and Weedmaps debuted a digital commercial spot strategically timed for TV's most-watched event of the year, just ahead of Super Bowl 56, a commercial extravaganza they tried but failed to buy time in. An NBC spokesman said the network does not accept ads “for cannabis or cannabis-related businesses” on any of its platforms.
Weedmaps’ digital ad personifies cannabis as Brock Ollie, a head of broccoli, the veggie emoji commonly used as a visual representation of cannabis in marketing, the 30-second spot provides viewers with insight into a day in the life of Brock Ollie, whose superfood identity is up in smoke as he is repeatedly mistaken for cannabis. The ad is a humorous take on the challenges imposed on the broader industry, which include social media censorship and a lack of consistent advertising regulations, thus restricting cannabis-related spots during nationally televised events, like the big game.
