Dispensary in Salem Draws on Region's Witchy Past for Stigma-Busting Halloween Promotion

With a 20-foot inflatable spider perched on its roof and an overgrown forest recreated just inside the front door, a dispensary in a corner of the northeast U.S. infamous for its witch trials has fully enveloped itself in the creepiness of the season. And though the cannabis retailer captures the spooky thrills of Halloween for its customers with ghostly video installations and dramatic mood lighting, there’s a broader purpose for its elaborate set dressing. Executives at Insa, at its flagship store in Salem, Mass., are drawing parallels between what happened in colonial America in the 17th century and the negative stereotypes that still exist around cannabis today. With the “Haunted Harvest” promotion, they’re trying to combat an outdated way of thinking of about natural medicine. Healing from a dark past “Plants and herbs have long been used, across a spectrum of times and cultures, in a variety of methods that promote healing and general wellbeing,” Lewis Goldstein, Insa’s CMO, told Adweek. “Often the people who practiced these techniques were met with intimidation, bigotry and close-mindedness.” And in that particular neck of the woods, healers could be (and often were) accused of witchcraft and executed by hanging. Instead of glossing over the region’s sordid past, Insa’s leadership is leaning into it, using the experiential push to “continue to chip away at the stigma that still clings to legal, well-regulated cannabis,” Goldstein said. “How could we not try to offer a little historical and cultural context for how natural plants and herbs have been stigmatized, even when being used in a healthful manner?” Insa—a chain with multiple locations in the area, a delivery service in Boston and operations in Pennsylvania and Florida—joins a growing number of cannabis players that are latching onto mainstream holidays as a marketing hook. Brands and dispensaries have started pulling April Fools’ Day pranks for the first time, offering holiday gift cards and sponsoring music festivals as a way to normalize cannabis and expose it to a wider audience. No stranger to stunts, Insa decked out its brick-and-mortar shops with circus performers including acrobats, contortionists, sword swallowers and magicians for its “INSAnity” program on April 20, the well-known cannabis holiday. There were also deep discounts, collectible merchandise and other goodies. But after dabbling in a few hair-raising flourishes in past years, the store decided to go all-in with an immersive experience for the full month of October with faux ravens and skulls sitting on counters, hands reaching out of the forest’s brush and goblins trying to escape from video screens. And though it’s steeped in sinister details, the project is intended to make consumers feel welcome and comfortable, whether they’re repeat customers or canna-curious newbies. “It shouldn’t be intimidating to shop for cannabis,” Goldstein said. “It should be fun and educational.” “Haunted Harvest” may be the beginning of more in-person activations, as shoppers continue to return to physical retail after the extended Covid-19 lockdown. “We’ve got a slew of ideas for upcoming holidays that we’ve been working hard on,” Goldstein said. “It’s a great way to get people to engage and learn more about the industry.” Krispy Kreme Celebrates Halloween With a Spooky Transformation and Sweet New Treats