Real CA Cannabis

With more than half of California adults using cannabis, the State wanted to ensure people knew how to find licensed dispensaries and avoid unregulated products. The problem? Most consumers didn’t even realize that there could be illegal shops — most people think that cannabis is legal everywhere in California. To combat this, we launched the Real CA Cannabis campaign to spread awareness, build trust in legal products, and make it easy for Californians to shop safely.

We knew a traditional government campaign wouldn’t cut it—so we made sure Real CA Cannabis felt fresh, fun, and relatable. Using a mix of nostalgic and modern cultural references, we crafted a bold, approachable brand that stood out. To get the message out, we rolled out commercials, billboards, digital ads, influencer partnerships, and radio spots, making the Real CA Cannabis seal a recognizable symbol of trust. Plus, we built a user-friendly licensee search tool, helping consumers check if a dispensary was legit before walking in the door.

The results were huge—over 200 million impressions, nearly 7 million video views, and 5 million engagements. By making cannabis safety feel accessible and easy to understand, Real CA Cannabis helped consumers take control of what they’re buying while giving licensed dispensaries the recognition they deserve while consumers gained trust in the product they were buying.