AK Ventures Creates Mainstream TV Opportunity For Cannabis Brands

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CALIFORNIA: America is curious about medical cannabis. Legal in 25 states, poll after poll confirm that the overwhelming majority of citizens supports the legalization of medical cannabis, even while admitting that they don’t know very much about the medicinal properties of the federally-prohibited plant.

Things are changing rapidly in the cannabis marketplace, with constant product innovation, improved standards and the emergence of brand building, sophisticated packaging and professional marketing and public relations in the cannabis space.

AK Ventures CEO Kerri Accardi believes medical cannabis is ready to go mainstream. Her new broadcast series, “Medical Cannabis: The Healing Power of Knowledge” is scheduled to debut this fall, supported by some of legal cannabis’ top new brands.

With a passion for the plant, New York business savvy, and sheer determination, Accardi has forged partnerships with leading channels in every major U.S marketplace that, for the first time in history she believes, will allow cannabis brands to be seen on main stream broadcast television.

“I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with all the walks of life I’ve seen this amazing herb bring together,” Accardi said. “Knowing our series will bring the truth to light while bringing cannabis industry products and innovations to the public eye aligns with everything I personally started my soul mission for, I feel pure gratitude.”

Accardi and her team at AK Ventures are seeking cannabis related businesses to participate in “a modern day variety series” showcasing the healing benefits of cannabis!  Featuring well known athletes, doctors, nurses, patients, and others in professionally-produced segments the series is designed to be both entertainment and education, all packaged in a visually appealing and attention-getting TV format.

This exciting opportunity is available exclusively to one company in each product category in each marketplace.  The inaugural pricing is set at $10,000 for each verticals, including: Topicals, Medibles, Dispensary, Seed, Software, and Laboratories.

“Medical Cannabis: The Healing Power of Knowledge” Markets & Stations:

NEW YORK -WCBS

LOS ANGELES-KCBS, WLNY, KCAL

CHICAGO-WBBM

PHILADELPHIA-KYW, WPSG

DALLAS -FT WORTH-KTVT, KTXA

SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND- SAN JOSE-KPIX, KBCW

BOSTON(MANCHESTER)-WBZ, WSBK

DETROIT-WWJ

MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL-WCCO+

MIAMI-FT LAUDERDALE-WFOR, WBFS

DENVER-KCNC

SACRAMENTO-STOCKTON-MODESTO-KOVR

PITTSBURGH-KDKA

BALTIMORE-WJZ

ATLANTA-WUPA

TAMPA-ST PETE(SARASOTA)-WTOG

DETROIT-WKBD

SEATTLE-TACOMA-KSTW

LAS VEGAS-CBS

Apple “WeedWatch” Ad To Be Featured In Marijuana Green Pages

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WASHINGTON – A clever parody ad showcasing Apple’s canna-friendly chronometer, iWatch,  has taken out a full page ad in the upcoming Marijuana Green Pages business directory.  Seattle-based multi-media company Higher Ground released the “WeedWatch” ad to coincide with the April 20th pot holiday, “4/20”, and the release of the Apple Watch on April 24th.

The ad, featuring a photo of the iWatch with the simple text, “Time for a Change: Legalize It” will appear in a Premium Position of the Marijuana Green Pages in the Wearable Technology section.

“The Apple Watch is a revolutionary product, and the legalization of marijuana in States across the country is also a revolutionary movement,”notes Higher Ground Editor-in-Chief Michael A. Stusser. “The message of our parody is as simple as the solution to the War on Drugs: Legalize It.  It’s time to end Prohibition, and legalize, regulate and tax cannabis at the federal level. I can think of no better place to showcase this powerful message than as a full page ad in  a premium position in the Marijuana Green Pages, the most authoritative business directory of legal cannabis businesses ever created. The Weed Watch just had to be represented.”

One of the most innovative features of Apple’s Watch is the ability for users to customize the face of the device, and add additional information. In Higher Ground’s parody, they have taken the liberty to do just that! The watch face is full of humorous and advocacy-related apps including NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), SXSW, Leafly (a Yelp-like mobile app for marijuana), 7-11, Cannabis News Network, and Doritos. The time? 4:20.

Based out of Seattle, where recreational marijuana was legalized in 2012, Higher Ground is attempting to “Elevate the Dialogue”and broaden the movement nationally. While legal in Washington, Colorado, Alaska and Oregon, the use, sale or distribution of cannabis is still a felony at the federal level, and over 600,000 Americans are arrested every year for marijuana-related offenses.

The launch of the Apple Watch continues to garner significant media coverage, as it is the first new product device from Apple since CEO Tim Cook took over the company. PreOrders for the iWatch began on April 10th, selling over a million units, and will begin shipping on April 24th. Using guerilla-style marketing, In addition to the Marijuana Green Pages, Higher Ground’s WeedWatch campaign will appear on posters, leaflets and mobile billboards adjacent to Apple stores nationwide.

ABOUT HIGHER GROUND

Higher Ground produces the world’s first satirical news program about the legalization movement, along with a newspaper column and website. A multi-media company, Higher Ground creates highly-produced video assets including a flagship program (a mix between The Daily Show and CNN, just without that annoying Wolfe Blitzer fellow), a syndicated column on the legalization movement, a comprehensive and entertaining news website, events (Cooking with Cannabis!), along with viral social-media parodies.

Higher Ground has created a variety of videos and parodies that attempt to vaporize stoner-cliches (including a ReMix of Cheech & Chong’s iconic “Up in Smoke”), while also educating the public on the changing landscape of legalization. Along with their YouTube videos, the company has repurposed posters from the Reefer Madness era with an Original Artists Series, updated MadMen (whose characters smoke from vaporizers instead of cancer-sticks), and even crafted a Seattle Seahawks logo entirely out of marijuana in honor of the Beast Mode strain (named after running back Marshawn Lynch). Stusser’s Higher Ground column also runs in the Seattle Weekly.

For more information, contact Michael Stusser at michael@michaelstusser.com

 

With Diet Weed, Bethenny Frankel Ruins Marijuana

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NEW YORK:  The Skinnygirl empire dominates diet cocktails, and it could set its sights on weed next.

Those who say marijuana branding can’t be done look increasingly likely to be interrupted by someone doing it—most recently, Bethenny Frankel.

The former Real Housewives star turned Skinnygirl margarita queen is rumored to be cooking up her own strain of marijuana, one that (like her other products) will strive to help people stay thin. In the world of alcohol, this means less sugar and more vodka. In the marijuana world it means…well, wait, what does it mean?

“It will be a specially engineered strain of pot designed to not give you the munchies,” an “insider” told Us Weekly of Frankel’s alleged plan. “She read about how profitable the cannabis industry is and wants to get in on that.”