First Published by Benzinga.com

Campaigns about censorship and social justice took home two of the four Grand Clios bestowed at the Clio Cannabis Awards in Las Vegas on Thursday night, while two other Grand winners focused on experiential and a fun consumer-product partnership.

“The Clio Cannabis Awards celebrate the boundary-pushing creators at the forefront of the ever-evolving cannabis industry,” said Michael Kauffman, executive director of Clio Cannabis. 

Weedmaps, SaveBrockOllie

Grand Clio: Social Media

Who can forget BrockOllie? Weedmaps started a conversation about cannabis censorship with their ingenious social media campaign, where the endearing "Brock Ollie" became a stand-in for cannabis so that brands don't get social feeds flagged and shut down. Although as Brock himself points out, we should be talking about why cannabis content is getting censored in the first place.

Missouri's Own Edibles x Old Vienna Red Hot Riplets

Grand Clio: Partnerships & Collaborations

Local Missouri cannabis brand Vivid launched a new line of edibles, called Missouri's Own, to celebrate the state's rich botanical diversity and culinary creativity. The goal was to celebrate the state's unique flavors, evoke Missouri pride, and attract attention through partnerships with beloved local brands—most notably, with snack maker Old Vienna, which released a cannabis-infused version of its Red Hot Riplets chips.

Local Missouri cannabis brand Vivid launched a new line of edibles, called Missouri's Own, to celebrate the state's rich botanical diversity and culinary creativity. The goal was to celebrate the state's unique flavors, evoke Missouri pride, and attract attention through partnerships with beloved local brands—most notably, with snack maker Old Vienna, which released a cannabis-infused version of its Red Hot Riplets chips.

BVG, 'The BVG Hempticket'

Grand Clio: Experience/Activation

BVG, Berlin's public transport company, wanted to reduce stress and make traveling home for Christmas relaxing. So, the agency Jung von Matt created the BVG Hempticket, an edible public-transit ticket—drizzled with hemp oil, extracted from the seeds of the cannabis plant—that could be eaten after the last ride of a stressful day.

AROYA, 'Freedom Grams'

Grand Clio: Social Good

Freedom Grams—founded by AROYA and GABY Inc. along with the nonprofit Last Prisoner Project—is a new cannabis brand that makes consumers aware that others are still in prison for possessing amounts of cannabis they can legally buy today. From the packaging, the stories unfold through AR and on a website, urging action such as signing petitions, contacting senators, and joining local groups.

Berner Wins Honorary Clio Cannabis Award

In addition to the primary awards, Clio also honored Berner. "I’ve been put in a box my whole and stereotyped because what I do for a living this felt good," Berner wrote on his Instagram account. "Tonight I won the 2022 Honorary Clio Cannabis Award that recognizes creators on the forefront of marketing and communications in the cannabis industry."

Congrats all around!