Vici is a full-service digital advertising technology company. We specialize in white labeled solutions for media groups and advertising agencies including sales training, media planning, online ad buying, reporting, and optimization of campaigns. We do this by utilizing a multi-platform approach to digital advertising with best-in-class partner support.
When a locally owned cannabis dispensary approached Vici Media, they had a clear goal in mind: increase brand awareness and drive traffic to their website. With the cannabis industry facing strict regulations and unique challenges in digital marketing, we knew it would require a tailored strategy to meet their objectives.
The Strategy
In the first year, we started with a combination of digital display ads, leveraging Geo-Fencing, Behavioral, and Retargeting targeting strategies. This allowed us to capture an audience based on their geographic location, online behaviors, and past interactions with the dispensary’s website. However, as the campaign evolved, we identified new opportunities for optimization.
We pivoted to a Native targeting strategy, which allowed us to seamlessly integrate ads into content that potential customers were already consuming. This new approach included Artificial Intelligence (AI) targeting, Behavioral targeting, Keyword targeting, Geo-Fencing/Geo-Retargeting, and Retargeting.
To reach the right audience, we focused on behavioral categories like Health Conditions, Pain Management, and Alternative & Natural Medicine—targeting users who were most likely to benefit from cannabis products. AI played a crucial role, helping us identify behaviors and targets that might not traditionally be associated with cannabis consumption. This enabled us to refine our targeting efforts to where we saw the highest performance.
The Results
By the end of Year One, the dispensary’s campaign achieved an impressive overall click-through rate (CTR) of 0.13%, which is above average for the cannabis industry. However, the switch to Native targeting in the second year took performance to the next level. Over the past five months, the campaign’s CTR climbed to 0.19% and recently reached 0.20%.
AI was a key player in these results, driving the majority of impressions and maintaining a CTR of 0.26-0.28%. The AI’s ability to continuously learn and adapt meant that it was able to target potential customers who were most likely in-market for the dispensary’s products. Meanwhile, Behavioral Native and Geo-Retargeting strategies delivered the majority of the remaining impressions, with an average CTR of 0.13-0.15%, outperforming the overall campaign during Year One.
Conversions also hit an all-time high. In fact, over the last three months, the dispensary saw a nearly fourfold increase in their monthly conversion rate compared to the previous year’s average. As the data clearly showed, the new Native targeting strategy offered more opportunities for higher performance and overall campaign success.
The Takeaway
This success story highlights the power of strategic digital marketing in an industry with unique challenges like cannabis. By leveraging AI, Behavioral, and Geo-Retargeting strategies, we were able to drive better results and significantly increase brand awareness and website traffic for this dispensary.
If your business needs a high-impact, cost-effective marketing strategy, contact Vici Media today to learn more about our white-label digital solutions. For more information, email support@vicimediainc.com.
