Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 18 February 2020

Pot shops turn to highway sponsor signs amid strict ad rules

DENVER (AP) — Canna- social media platforms are
bis companies are using even more restrictive.
a loophole in Colorado’s Harsha Gangadharbatla,
strict limits on marijuana an associate professor of
advertising by sponsoring advertising, public relations
state highways and putting and media design at the
their names on roadside University of Colorado at
signs. Boulder, says that because
Currently, 51 cannabis Clean Colorado signs don’t
dispensaries, cultivators, look like traditional adver-
manufacturers and edible tisements, they might be
producers sponsor road- one of the most effective
ways throughout the state, ways to reach drivers.
according to the Adopt “They’re a different kind of
a Highway Maintenance signage on the side of the
Corporation. Although they road. They tend to stick
represent less than half of out a little bit more than
all organizations that par- billboards, so consumers
ticipate in the Clean Colo- do pay a little bit more at-
rado program, their reach tention to anything that’s
spans about 198 miles (318 novel or different from the
kilometers) , or 66%, of the formats they’re used to,”
roads actively sponsored, he said. LivWell Enlightened
The Denver Post reported. In this Feb. 6, 2020, photo, a Clean Colorado highway sign sponsored by the Northern Lights Can- Health, which operates 17
“The rules governing high- nabis Co. is displayed on eastbound 6th Avenue west of Sheridan Blvd. in Denver. dispensaries in Colorado
ways signs are in a different Associated Press and Oregon, is one of the
section than rules govern- top sponsors of Colorado
ing the cannabis industry,” hole that was overlooked.” tions. Oftentimes, they are marketing messages from roads, paying for cleanup
said Nico Pento, govern- Colorado Department of strategically placed near reaching minors. State reg- on 19 miles (30 kilometers).
ment affairs director for Transportation officials say exits where passersby can ulators prohibit cannabis Mike Lord, the company’s
Boulder-based Terrapin the signs are not intended find the businesses. businesses from advertising director of business devel-
Care Station, which oper- to be an advertising medi- Colorado’s rules govern- on TV, radio and in print opment, said the program
ates six dispensaries in the um, but they have become ing how and where can- unless they can prove the spreads brand awareness
Denver metro area. “The a clever workaround for an nabis companies can ad- audience is predominantly while also making a posi-
highway signs were a loop- industry with few other op- vertise are strict to prevent 21 and older. Digital and tive impact.q

Jeff Bezos commits $10 billion to fight climate change

spend $10 billion of his own work to have 100% of its en- for the fund.
fortune to help fight cli- ergy use come from solar Despite being among
mate change. panels and other renew- the richest people in the
Bezos, the world's richest able energy by 2030. world, Bezos only recently
man, said in an Instagram The online retailer relies on became active in donat-
post that he'll start giving fossil fuels to power planes, ing money to causes as
grants this summer to scien- trucks and vans in order other billionaires like Bill
tists, activists and nonprofits to ship billions of items all Gates and Warren Buffett
working to protect Earth. around the world. Amazon have done. In 2018, Bezos
"I want to work alongside workers in its Seattle head- started another fund, com-
others both to amplify quarters have been vocal mitting $2 billion of his own
known ways and to explore in criticizing some of the money to open preschools
new ways of fighting the company's practices, push- in low-income neighbor-
devastating impact of cli- ing it to do more to combat hoods and give money to
mate change," Bezos said climate change. nonprofits that help home-
In this Sept. 19, 2019, file photo, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos speaks
during a news conference at the National Press Club in Wash- in the post. Bezos said in the post Mon- less families.
ington. Amazon, the company day that he will call his new Bezos, who founded Ama-
Associated Press Bezos runs, has an enor- initiative the Bezos Earth zon 25 years ago, has a
mous carbon foodprint. Fund. An Amazon spokes- stake in the company that
By JOSEPH PISANI zon founder Jeff Bezos said Last year, Amazon officials man confirmed that Bezos is worth more than $100
NEW YORK (AP) — Ama- Monday that he plans to said the company would will be using his own money billion.q