Cresco Labs, the operator of Sunnyside dispensaries, today announced it is the first cannabis company to launch cannabis advertisements on Spotify, the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service with more than 551 million users and 220 million subscribers.
“Audio streaming services represent a major opportunity for brands to reach large audiences in a targeted manner, and we’re excited to collaborate with Spotify to launch the first-ever cannabis ads from our Sunnyside national retail brand,” said Cory Rothschild, Cresco Labs’ National Retail President. “Our Sunnyside advertising strategy is built on a data ecosystem enabling best-in-class targeting and measurement. Spotify’s platform will enable our marketing team to target our ads compliantly and profitably to our core shoppers in Illinois where we have a leading share in retail. This important partnership is not only a step in normalizing cannabis, but it also showcases the sophistication and quality of marketing that we have unlocked at Cresco Labs.”
The ad campaign, which aims to communicate the benefits of shopping at Sunnyside dispensary, includes 30 second audio and in-app digital banners that drive to the retailer’s proprietary e-commerce platform. Advertising is supported by a volume-driving paid media campaign that includes programmatic buying, native ads, connectedTV and more.