A new agency in Manchester has established, what it says is, the first advertising solution for CBD brands in the UK.
Ripe says the platform has been specifically developed for the UK CBD sector, which is predicted to be worth £1bn by 2024.
“We started Ripe out of frustration. We launched an online CBD magazine in 2019, and quickly found we couldn’t advertise on traditional channels such as Facebook, Instagram and Google,” said Ripe co-founder, Liam O’Dowd.
“At the same time, we couldn’t find advertisers to feature on our magazine website through the usual ad networks. By creating Ripe, we can bridge the gap between publishers who are happy to run CBD advertising campaigns and brands that want to advertise. We are solving a problem that every CBD business in the UK currently faces, and we are helping the public learn about innovate new brands at the same time. It’s a win win situation.”
O’Dowd said they were working with more than 100 websites across the world, “that are reporting on CBD positively” and placing digital adverts alongside this content.
In 2019, CBD sales topped £300m, more than the total value of Vitamin C and Vitamin D supplements combined. However, restrictions have been placed on traditional marketing channels, including Facebook and Google.
“We want to help brands realise their true potential and help consumers make informed decisions about the brands they buy. Thanks to Ripe, CBD businesses in the UK can now increase brand awareness and readers can learn about products that could benefit them. Our ultimate goal is grow into the go-to solution for CBD businesses in the UK and Europe who are ambitious about building their brands and sales” continued O’Dowd.
In February this year, the Food Standards Agency warned that products containing the cannabis extract CBD would have to gain regulatory approval or they would be removed from shelves. At the time, not one product had been approved in the UK.
It followed trials which showed that some CBD products contained unlisted and potentially hazardous ingredients, or illegal levels of THC – the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. The FSA also found that some products contained little, or no CBD.
