Dive Brief: 

• Quick company Gopuff launched a new election-style campaign, titled “I Puffed Today,” for 4/20, a popular holiday celebrating weed culture, per details shared with Marketing Dive. 
• The effort includes a partnership with influencer The Fat Jewish, who features in a campaign video and four teasers. Gopuff will also tour Manhattan to dole out discount codes and conduct on-site interviews with help from the “Good Children” podcast hosts Joe Hegyes and Andrew Muscarella.
• The campaign spans social media, out-of-home and digital channels and also includes branded merchandise. Gopuff joins a slew of marketers looking to capitalize on the holiday, which has become more widely accepted in the marketing world as marijuana legalization gains traction.

Dive Insight: 

Gopuff is leaving no doubts about its 4/20 intentions this year. “I Puffed Today” marks the first time the delivery service has outright embraced its ties to weed culture — including through its brand name — according to the press release. Other brands, including BIC and Jack in the Box, have recently unveiled similarly bold 4/20 campaigns, pointing to the impact looser restrictions around marijuana use is having on marketing.  

Gopuff’s campaign replicates the classic jargon associated with election season. The name of the effort, “I Puffed Today,” is meant to poke fun at well-known “I Voted” memorabilia. In a promotional video starring Josh Ostrovsky, known publicly as The Fat Jewish, the social media influencer — who appears pantsless — elevates 4/20 as the most important national holiday while dramatically asking community members whether or not they’ve recently “puffed.” 

Additional teasers round out the effort, including one that promotes The Fat Jewish’s Gopuff order, continuing the same election theme while playfully making it known that the company is not a “weed app.” Partnering with The Fat Jewish could help the brand expand its reach, with the influencer boasting nearly 10 million Instagram followers and past tie-ups with major players like Burger King. The campaign was made in collaboration with creative and production partner The Times.

Helping spread the word is an out-of-home activation by the brand. Today (April 20), Gopuff will take to the streets of Manhattan in a van — dubbed the “Puffing Place” — making stops at Washington Square Park, Astor Place, Union Square and Bryant Park. The interior of the van boasts private booths meant to replicate voting booths, where visitors can scan a QR code to receive a discount to use on Gopuff’s munchies-themed page within its app. 

To build further excitement for the pop-up gathering, the company is enlisting “Good Children” podcast hosts Hegyes and Muscarella to conduct man-on-the-street style interviews and pass out “I Puffed Today” merchandise, including stickers, lighters, rolling papers and snacks. 

Gopuff’s latest campaign could help boost business as consumer demand within the quick-commerce sector lags. The company, which was founded in 2013, recently cut 2% of its workforce, representing its third round of layoffs in the past year. Others in the category have felt the strain, including Food Rocket, a Chicago-based quick-delivery startup that shut down in March. Meanwhile, major players like Instacart and DoorDash have been exploring alternative revenue routes, including shoppable TV ads.