The Illegal Ad

How did we create an out-of-home campaign advertising cannabis infused beer in California, where it’s illegal to use the words “cannabis” and “beer” in the same ad?

How did we create an out-of-home campaign advertising cannabis infused beer in California, where it’s illegal to use the words “cannabis” and “beer” in the same ad? 

We got around the law by creating a Spotify playlist whose song titles, when read in order, delivered the illicit message for us. Then, we applied Spotify’s native QR code technology to a series of wild postings that went up around Los Angeles. Each posting included a call to action inviting people to access our playlist by scanning the QR code from within their Spotify app. With songs by St. Vincent, David Byrne, Reel Big Fish, Black Sheep, and John Legend, the playlist said what our ads legally couldn’t (and it also happens to be an excellent soundtrack for catching a buzz).