Nate Bullman on creating content for cannabis and battling social media bans

You might have already heard of Nate Bullman, he was the spokesperson for MoGreenCard.com and appeared on the Cowboy Judge TV show in a panel discussion about legalising cannabis products. He is a content creator and marketing strategist specializing in cannabis marketing, which is a niche that is expanding fast as states legalize, while also hosting his own video podcast "Nate on Cannabis" that is dedicated to all aspects of the green leaf. With some many blank spots in the super bowl brand lineup this year, I decided to catch up with him to chat about cannabis brands and their advertising opportunities - and issues. Nate Bullman created the campaign "live well, live free" for the Carolina Hemp company and was previously the multimedia director for Greenway Magazine.

Adland: If you were to advertise Cannabis during "the big game", sans the Super Bowl ad budget, what would be your angle of attack? What media is currently undervalued by the advertising industry during the super bowl in your opinion?
 

Nate: My angle of attack would be appealing to older generations that are watching. The fastest growing demographic of cannabis users in America are people over the age of 50.
Cannabis is a safe, non lethal, non toxic substance that is commonly used for pain relief and is a great alternative to many prescription medicines. The youth in this country already understands the efficacy of cannabis and the damage that prohibition has done. If we win over the older generation, we can win the war on Cannabis.

In my opinion the most undervalued media during the Super Bowl is live streaming platforms like Twitch. While Twitch streamers may not stream the actual game, many have begun live streaming themselves doing other activities during big events such as the superbowl to help build their audiences.
 

Platforms like twitch and even youtube are undervalued during large events, including sports. 

Adland: What are the challenges that content creators have today, how can you differentiate from others?

Nate: Cannabis content creators face many challenges, the biggest being censorship on social media platforms such as Facebook and Youtube.

I currently work in a legal medical industry that does not violate any state laws or regulations but often find myself banned or removed from social media websites for creating educational content for medical marijuana patients.

All cannabis content creators face this struggle and have to learn how to adapt and maneuver through regulations and terms of service in order to compete and remain relevant. This is something that most content creators do not have to concern themselves with. 

Adland: You also founded Cured.tv, can you tell me a little about what that is and intends to do?  

Nate: Cured.tv will be a place where cannabis content creators of all kinds can showcase their work without fear of censorship or bans.
It will be dedicated to local and legal markets. It will also be a place where legal cannabis businesses can advertise as the options in this market are extremely limited.

A legal cannabis business cannot advertise on Google, YouTube, Facebook or any of the other main sources of traffic. My hope is that Cured (as in preserved) will be a place where novice or potential cannabis users can go to educate and entertain themselves about this beautiful plant. 

Adland: What are things learned in the Navy that can be applied to working in advertising and marketing?  

Nate Bullman: In the Navy I learned many things.

One of the most important lessons was learning how to work with people from many different backgrounds and cultures.

We had one mission and had to achieve it together. When you go through something as horrible as war with a team of people from around the country (and the world) you learn to put yourself in their position and better understand their goals and needs.

It teaches you empathy and that is invaluable when it comes to marketing and advertising.
Not only do you need to know who your target audience is, but you need to truly understand their needs and concerns.

If you cannot put yourself in your target audience's shoes you are going to have a hard time earning their trust. When you are disingenuous people can tell.

Adland: That's very true Nate, people will always know, thanks for sharing your insights.