As I see it, there’s no right or wrong answer here. There’s just more intolerance. Isn’t that a recurring theme in my columns? And my life? Recently, a distributor posted in the Promotional Products Professionals group on Facebook about an issue she had. She brought it to the group for their opinions and input. I think she left with more of a personal attack.
On the cover of the April issue of Advantages, ASI featured a pot leaf, as it lent itself to their story about the legal marijuana industry. The angle they were taking was that there’s money to be made in that business. It’s legal, after all.
The aforementioned distributor had an issue with the cover; she was upset that her teenage stepson had seen it and was questioning if she was now helping to promote the cannabis business. She wasn’t calling for a reprint of the cover; she did ask, however, if the rest of our group thought that perhaps a plain brown wrapper should have been used when distributing this copy of the magazine. She was upset, and concerned about her child and his influences.
As well she should be (at least, the concerned part). That’s the mark of good parenting (“step-“, or otherwise). She was soliciting opinions from the group. Well… they gave them to her.
For the most part, the comments were less than supportive of her concerns. The prevailing attitude was that marijuana was out there, regardless of whether or not that magazine was covered. Chances are, her son had already been exposed to it (which was not to say that he’d tried or used it, just that he was aware). To that point, I guess that’s the case, as he did recognize the leaf on the cover.
Was she right in her concerns about the cover? Who’s to say? She’s the child’s parent… she’s the one who knows the entire backstory of his life, not strangers on the internet. She knows whether or not this is a major issue where they live, and what their own individual beliefs are.
My own New York liberal upbringing (oops… there goes a bunch of my readership) would dictate that this was really not that big a deal, but I’ve (begrudgingly) come to accept that other people have different backgrounds and that they might, in fact, be entitled to opinions other than my own. I’ve come a long way, huh?
Regarding the magazine cover, Tim Andrews of ASI subsequently wrote about the “brouhaha” (his word, not mine), “(w)e’re simply presenting business opportunities and educating our audience – online, in print and at our many live shows and events – providing the same sound advice and sales tips we’ve offered the industry since 1962.” Yes, I’m defending ASI. Stop the presses.
It’s naïve to think that the legal pot business isn’t a potential money maker for many industry participants. To those who wish to pursue that business, great. To those who choose to not light up and join, that’s okay too. I again agree (what?) with Andrews as he wrote, “ASI isn’t telling industry members to vote one way or another, and we’re not telling them to sell marijuana-related items or call on marijuana dispensaries, just as we don’t urge anyone to, say, call on bars or offer logoed condoms (which are available!)”.
Listen…someone is going to get that business. It doesn’t have to be for everyone.
Mike Schenker, MAS, is a promotional industry veteran and member of the Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY) Hall of Fame. He can be reached at mike@mikeschenker.com.