This document analyzes trends in cannabis and CBD advertising in 2020 based on a review of 100 display ads. Key findings include: - CBD brands made up 60% of ads, with ancillary brands at 26% and cannabis brands 14%. - Product photography was used in 77% of ads, with lifestyle photography in 12% and text-only in 11%. - 31% of ads offered discounts, most commonly 10-25% off. - "Shop" was the most common call-to-action button text at 65% of ads.

1. Cannabis & CBD
Advertising Trends
in 2020
A reference for industry marketers
PROGRAMETRIX PRESENTS

2. In 2020, we compiled the largest
existing collection of cannabis,
CBD, and ancillary ad examples
from around the web.
AFTER DETAILED ANALYSIS, WE CREATED THIS REPORT
TO SHARE WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THEM.

3. We randomly
selected 100 display
ads to review for this
study.
Some were created by our agency, others
were created by our clients, but most were
from brands we have no affiliation with.

4. I. Product Types
a. Who Is Running Display Ads in 2020?
b. Product Subcategories
II. Ad Types
III. Copy
a. Cannabis & CBD Terminology
b. Key Selling Points
c. Disclaimers
d. Word Cloud
IV. Imagery
a. Overview
b. Visual Subcategories
c. Cannabis Plant Imagery
d. Static vs. GIF
V. Promotions
a. Discounts
b. Percentages
c. Coupon Codes
VI. CTAs
a. Buttons
b. Action Words
Contents

5. I. PRODUCT TYPES
a. WHO IS RUNNING DISPLAY
ADS IN 2020?
CBD BRANDS: 60%
ANCILLARY BRANDS: 26%
CANNABIS BRANDS: 14%

6. I. PRODUCT TYPES:
b. CATEGORY BREAKDOWN
Various
23.3%
Oil
20%
Topicals
15%
Capsules
13.3%
Tinctures
10%
Edibles
10%
Flower
3.3%
Vapes
26.9%
Dabbing
19.2%
Smoking
15.4%
B2B
15.4%
B2C
15.4%
Events
3.8%
Concentrates
35.7%
Flower
28.6%
Online orders
28.6%
Seeds
7.1%
CBD BRANDS (60% OF TOTAL):
—Various products: 14% (of all ads)
—Oil: 12%
—Topicals: 9%
—Capsules: 8%
—Tinctures: 6%
—Edibles: 6%
—Inhalers: 2%
—Hemp flower: 2%
—Pet products: 1%
ANCILLARY BRANDS (26%
OF TOTAL):
—Vaporizers: 7% (of all ads)
—Dabbing accessories: 5%
—Smoking accessories: 4%
—B2B services: 4%
—B2C services: 4%
—Information: 1%
—Events: 1%
CANNABIS BRANDS (14% OF
TOTAL):
—Concentrates: 5% (of all ads)
—Cannabis flower: 4%
—Online ordering (various
products): 4%
—Seeds: 1%

7. II. Ad Types
WHAT WERE THE ADS
FOCUSED ON?
Single-product ad: 35%
General brand: 31%
Multi-product ad: 25%
Service: 6%
Event: 2%
Information: 1%
Single product
35%
Brand
31%
Multiple products
25%
Service
6%
Event
2%
Info
1%

8. footer
"CBD" IN COPY
"CANNABIS" IN
COPY
"HEMP" IN
COPY
"WEED" IN
COPY
46% 8% 8% 2%
III. AD COPY
a. WAS SPECIFIC CANNABIS OR CBD TERMINOLOGY
INCLUDED IN THE AD COPY OR CTA?
NO CANNABIS- OR CBD-SPECIFIC COPY INCLUDED*: 36%
*They may have been referenced as part of the brand name.

9. III. Ad Copy
“Free”: 7%
"Natural": 7%
"Full-spectrum": 6%
“New”: 6%
“Sale”: 6%
Lab or third-party tested: 4%
"Organic": 3%
"Vegan": 3%
Additional ingredients (e.g.
menthol): 2%
Additive-free: 2%
"Cruelty-free": 2%
b. WHICH SELLING POINTS WERE
INCLUDED IN THE COPY?
"Discreet": 2%
"Made in the USA": 2%
Money-back guarantee: 2%
"Potent": 2%
"Pure": 2%
"Wellness": 2%
Bioaccessibility: 1%
"Includes": 1%
"Paraben-free": 1%
"Sugar-free": 1%
*Note: Categories were not mutually exclusive.

10. c. DID THE BRANDS
INCLUDE DISCLAIMER
COPY?
18% did.DISCLAIMER COPY (E.G. "FOR ADULT USE ONLY") SHOULD ALWAYS BE INCLUDED IN
ADS FOR CANNABIS (MANY STATES REQUIRE SPECIFIC STATEMENTS). COPY IS NOT
NECESSARILY REQUIRED FOR CBD OR ANCILLARY ADS, THOUGH SOME ADS IN
BOTH OF THESE CATEGORIES INCLUDED DISCLAIMER MESSAGING, WHILE A FEW
CANNABIS BRANDS DID NOT.
III. AD COPY

11. d. WORD CLOUDIII. AD COPY

12. TEXT ONLY:
11%
On white backgrounds, patterned
backgrounds, or colors.
IV. IMAGERY
PRODUCT
PHOTOGRAPHY: 77%
Including on plain colors, on patterns
and designed backgrounds, in
environmental settings, and in use.
LIFESTYLE
PHOTOGRAPHY: 12%
Lifestyle was the focus of the image;
occasionally a small product image
was also overlaid in a corner, but this
was not the main focus.
a. WHICH PHOTO STYLES OR VISUALS WERE USED?

13. IV. IMAGERY
b. VISUAL SUBCATEGORIES
Pattern
29.9%
Color
26%
Environmental
16.9%
White
16.9%
Black
6.5%
In Use
3.9%
With product
58.3%
No product
33.3%
Other
8.3%
Pattern
63.6%
Color
27.3%
White
9.1%
TRENDS IN PRODUCT IMAGES:
—On pattern or designed
background: 23% (of all ads)
—On color background: 20%
—Environmental shot: 13%
—On white: 13%
—On black: 5%
—Product in use: 3%
TRENDS IN LIFESTYLE
IMAGES:
—Lifestyle imagery + overlaid
product shot: 7% (of all ads)
—Lifestyle imagery only: 4%
—Original brand art: 1%
TRENDS IN TEXT ADS:
—On pattern or designed
background: 7% (of all ads)
—On color background: 3%
—On white: 1%

14. IV. IMAGERY
c. WAS CANNABIS SHOWN IN THE
ADS?
In 7% of ads, the cannabis flower or plant was
clearly visible.
In 3% of ads, the cannabis flower or plant was
subtly visible or clearly implied (e.g. in a joint).

15. d. WAS THE AD CREATED IN A
STATIC OR .GIF FORMAT?
GIFs: 8%
GIF FORMATS ARE USEFUL FOR DRAWING THE VIEWER'S ATTENTION AND
FITTING MORE INFORMATION INTO THE GIVEN DIMENSIONS.
IV. IMAGERY

16. No special pricing, sale, or discount
was offered.
NO: 69%
Thirty brands offered a percentage-
based discount, and one brand offered
a specific lowered price.
YES: 31%
a. DID THE BRAND OFFER A
DISCOUNT OR PROMOTION
AS PART OF THE AD?
V. PROMOTIONS

17. V. PROMOTIONS
b. OF THE 30 BRANDS
OFFERING PERCENTAGE-
BASED DISCOUNTS, WHAT
DISCOUNT WAS OFFERED?
Less than 25% off: 67% of
promotions
25–50% off: 30% of
promotions
Over 50% off: 3% of
promotions
10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 50% 70%
8
6
4
2
0

18. c. OF THE BRANDS OFFERING PROMOTIONS, HOW MANY
INCLUDED A COUPON CODE?
48% of promotions
included a coupon
code
V. PROMOTIONS
52% of promotions
did not require a
coupon code

19. Yes: 80%
No: 20%
a. DID THE AD INCLUDE A
CLEAR CTA BUTTON?
DIGITAL ADVERTISING BEST PRACTICES SUGGEST THAT A CLEARLY
VISIBLE CTA BUTTON INCREASES AD CLICK-THROUGH AND
CONVERSION RATES.
VI. CTAs

20. VI. CTAs
b. WHAT CALLS-TO-ACTION WERE USED
MOST OFTEN?
65%
of CTAs
"SHOP"
8%
of CTAs
"LEARN"
5%
of CTAs
"BUY" "ORDER"
5%
of CTAs
OTHER ACTION WORDS—INCLUDING "REGISTER," "TAKE," "FIND," "GET,"
"GROW," "JOIN," AND "TRY"—MADE UP MOST OF THE REMAINING 17% OF
CTAS. ONE BUTTON USED ONLY AN ARROW ICON, WITH NO COPY.

21. The cannabis, CBD, and ancillary display ads included in this
study were all running digitally at some point in 2020. They
were collected via screenshot from cannabis and
mainstream websites around the web. Some were running
programmatically, others through cannabis-specific ad
networks, and others through mainstream advertising
platforms such as Google Ads.

22. Questions? Get in touch!
ADDRESS
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Seattle, WA 98122
PHONE
(206) 948-4536
EMAIL
sales@programetrix.com