TDA_Boulder Ad Agency Creates Custom Strains for Denver's Creative Class

TDA_Boulder has no problems with its employees getting high — for the sake of creativity. The advertising agency partnered with grower Colorado Kind to create three specific strains of weed for "The Fifty," the 2017 theme for the Denver Ad Club's annual awards show. Each strain was tailored to aid different personality types in the advertising profession.

By Kate McKee Simmons

January 27, 2017

TBD_Boulder

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TDA_Boulder has no problem with its employees getting high, at least after work hours.

The advertising agency partnered with grower Colorado Kind to create three specific strains of weed to advertise "The Fifty," the 2017 version of the Denver Ad Club's annual awards show. Each Fifty strain was tailored to aid different personality types in the advertising profession.

After talking with employees to find out what kinds of strains they enjoy for different tasks, TDA worked closely with Colorado Kind to figure out the perfect blend of options for other people in the advertising profession.

The result was one strain for creatives called "Concepting Indica" that helps the smoker relax mind and body in order to explore another plane of creativity. The second strain, "Strategy Hybrid," is for those who need to focus on complex issues. The "Coding Sativa" is for technologists, and is designed to keep the mind active and alert.

"It was a really nice partnership for us, because we had these really specific ways we wanted to define the strains — or I should say cultivars — for strategists and creatives and technologists," says Constance DeCherney, director of strategy at TDA. "We wanted them to acknowledge the ways that people really use pot today for their work."

DeCherney hopes that more professions will partner with cannabis companies on similar projects to help normalize the use of marijuana. "I think it's a step forward for the normalcy and commercialization, if you will, or acceptance and tolerance of a vice category making its way into the mainstream — and letting businesses and associations and other industries be accepting of that, but also celebrating all the possible collaborations moving forward," she says.

The awards show was January 26; while the Denver Ad Club did not give out freebies, the strains are available anywhere that Colorado Kind cannabis is sold until February 2, and then until supplies last.

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Kate McKee Simmons interned at the National Catholic Reporter, was a reporter for the New York Post, and spent a brief stint in Israel learning international reporting before writing for Westword.

Contact: Kate McKee Simmons

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