Weed Edibles Brand Spoofs Big Pharma in SNL-Style Ad

Anyone who has suffered from tennis ankle, air guitar back, scrolling finger or bicycle seat butt can relate to a character named Randy Falcon, the star of a new ad campaign for cannabis brand Cheeba Chews.

Except those are fake ailments, with Falcon appearing as an accident-prone comedic narrator in a long-form video inspired by classic Saturday Night Live skits. 

The spoof targets Big Pharma commercials with a host of made-up symptoms—birdwatching neck, pickle jar-opening wrist—to introduce a product specifically designed for pain relief.

The delicate dance for Cheeba Chews—and all brands in the space—comes in making medical assertions about the product, which is verboten under marketing guidelines for cannabis. 

To walk that line, the brand chose a well-worn ad trope and mixed in a dose of wackiness, while aiming to get its point across about Joint Relief, a baked taffy that contains a cannabinoid cocktail of CBD, THC and CBC. While the marketing approach is not without precedent, it’s good for a laugh.

“We have a ton of restrictions on how we can position cannabis in regulated markets,” Eric Leslie, CMO of Cheeba Chews, told Adweek. “So with this product, we had to get reaaaaaal creative to make sure consumers understood the benefits without making explicit claims.”

Fun with Big Pharma

Working with its longtime agency, Denver-based independent shop Piggyback, the brand created a “goofy yet overly passionate” spokesman who’s definitely not a doctor, Leslie said.

“I’ve long wanted to spoof on the overdramatized pharma ads,” Leslie said. “And this particular product was the exact right one to execute the plan with.”

The 90-second spot details some ridiculous pretend issues and, in keeping with the source material, lists the side effects of taking Joint Relief, which may include “bitching way less” and not needing a wrist guard to catch a Frisbee.

“Real pharma ads have to play it super straight, which comes off as being hilarious in its own right,” John Angelopulos, the agency’s co-founder and creative director, told Adweek. “We wanted to take those notes and amplify them.”

Joint Relief’s stated benefits are confined to one tagline, with Falcon saying a consumer will feel “way better than if you didn’t take it.”

Cheeky chews

For the setup, the team borrowed and embellished from the people in their lives, per Leigh Masters, co-founder and creative director, like her own mom who complains frequently about aches and pains.

As for the physical humor and cheeky tone, which is a departure from typical weed advertising, the agency continues to build the Cheeba Chews quirky personality. 

“Why are so many wellness brands so fluffy-y and yoga-y?” Masters said. “We like to make people giggle. And weed makes people giggle. So let’s all giggle at an ad.”

The video, shot recently in Los Angeles, also slips in a few digs at the bestselling cannabis category. The flower takes it on the chin as Falcon suggests “maybe it’s time you put down that joint” in favor of Cheeba Chews’ new product, noting that “cannabinoids aren’t just for a good time.” Other brand promos call Joint Relief “a healthier alternative to filling your lungs with smoke.”

Copy like that might be considered heresy in certain weed circles, but not for edibles makers, which have seen their popularity explode in recent years. Cannabis Consumers in America 2023, a New Frontier Data study released last month, found that 58% of cannafans use edibles while 61% consume flower.

And as for marketing by benefit, Cheeba Chews taps into an ongoing trend where cannabis brands lean into the effects of a product rather than the old-school tradition of touting THC levels.

According to the same New Frontier research, consumers cite pain management as one of the primary reasons for using cannabis products, while 67% choose a product based on its intended effects. With that in mind, Leslie said Cheeba Chews made Joint Relief a priority with a formulation “that addresses a problem most adults face—pain.”

CREDITS:

ECD / Writer: John Angelopulos 

ECD / Art Director: Leigh Masters
Producer: Leigh Masters
Agency & Production Company: Piggyback
Director: Mike Immerman
Editorial: Chris Robins, 11 Dollar Bill, Boulder 
Spokesperson/Hero Talent: Jason Burke