Meet the New Weed Influencers: Cameo Celebs Like Ice-T, CeeLo Green and Kate Flannery

The names CeeLo Green, Shooter McGavin, Kate Flannery and Carson Kressley don’t immediately come to mind as movers and shakers in the cannabis industry, with good reason. But the celebrities, via a customized program with video platform Cameo, are directly responsible for driving nearly $2 million in revenue and 40,000 dispensary visits for weed powerhouse Columbia Care, according to the multi-state operator. Showing up on camera as themselves, while leaning into their recognition from TV, music and film, the stars talk up Columbia Care retailers like The Cannabist and The Green Solution in brief, homemade videos. They personally recommended a stop-by to consumers who had already dipped their toe into weed but were still looking for some hand-holding in the shopping process. The recently-launched program, thought to be the first of its kind for a cannabis marketer, represents another step in weed’s data-driven march to reach the coveted canna curious demo and the significant non-buying "addressable" audience. The concept from cannatech player Fyllo also mimics the tactics of mainstream consumer packaged goods, an intensifying trend among cannabis brands that continue to face heavy ad regulations and roadblocks in traditional media. In the face of marketing challenges—cannabis remains federally illegal, cut off from paid ad channels like Instagram and Google—brands in the space are getting more creative in general. Against that backdrop, Columbia Care and Fyllo collaborated on the experiment, enlisting Cameo personalities—and low-key cannabis allies—with familiar faces and loyal fans. Captivating the canna curious “We wanted to create a tailored message through influencers—real people who you may not associate with our products but would resonate with certain audience segments, based on data,” Jesse Channon, Columbia Care’s chief growth officer, told Adweek. “We ended up with something that humanized the experience and gave us short-form content that we could deploy quickly and refresh often.” The campaign, which Channon described as “buzzy and new,” went beyond typical and easily-overlooked banners, using rich-media ads targeted at light cannabis users, or those who had made at least a single purchase. After opting in, consumers saw videos from actor-rapper Ice-T, former NFL linebacker Ray Lewis and others shouting out benefits like product selection and helpful budtenders at The Cannabist and The Green Solution stores. Also included in some of the content was a pitch to download Forage, a new Columbia Care app that matches consumers with cannabis products based on particular needs like sleep, anxiety or relaxation. Tagline: “How do you want to feel today?” When consumers interacted with the Cameo videos, they saw geo-targeted pop-up maps of their nearest local dispensaries. Senior leaders at Columbia Care, an 18-state operator recently acquired by Cresco Labs in a landmark deal, were willing to try the untested approach for “first-mover advantage,” Channon said. “If you’re not willing to experiment, you’re leaving opportunity out there.” Another round, with different celebrities and potentially different target demos, could come next in a program that “shifted the narrative” from traditional display ads to more immersive media, according to Fyllo’s chief commercial officer Jeff Ragovin. “We didn’t put crazy expectations on it, but it overdelivered,” Channon said. “And one of the keys to success was the diversity of talent that helped us show the dispensary as a welcoming, not an intimidating, experience.” The Green Rush Will Be Won by Cannabis Brands That Take Marketing Seriously—Right Now