Who: Canadian cannabis producer Flowr Corporation, and Zerotrillion.
What: “Nothing to hide,” a new brand campaign that speaks to the stigma that continues to linger around cannabis use. The campaign also serves to introduce Flowr’s new glass containers, which debuted earlier this year.
When & Where: The campaign launched this week, with ads running online and across social media, complemented by installations at some retail locations.
Why: More than two years after recreational cannabis use was legalized in Canada, the stigma around pot persists. An insightful overview of how cannabis came to be stigmatized can be found here, including a reference to the hilariously over-the-top 1936 propaganda film Reefer Madness (“marijuana: the burning weed with its roots…in hell”). Flowr said it wants to prompt its users to “change their pre-legalization behaviours of concealing the product and instead engage in open and honest conversations.”
How: The campaign is anchored by a 45-second spot soundtracked by the 1974 song “I’m tired of hiding,” by Millie Jackson. The ad takes viewers on a tour of a pot user’s house, revealing all of the hiding spots for their stash—from a hollowed-out book and a jacket’s hood compartment, to inside a couch cushion (16-year-old me could have really used these pointers). It concludes with a jar of Flowr product proudly displayed in the open, immediately followed by the “Nothing to hide” super.
And we quote: “As far as we have come as an industry, there is no avoiding the fact that cannabis and the use of cannabis still have some negative associations. At Flowr, we believe that cannabis, when used appropriately and grown consistently, can be used as a tool to enhance aspects of your life—and there is no shame in that. With this campaign, we wanted to highlight the new glass packaging, but also remind people that true quality never hides.” — Nicole Wolff, brand director, Flowr