THE 14TH ANNUAL SHORTY AWARDS

The Shorty Awards honor the best of social media and digital. View this season's finalists!

Industry

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Strategy & Engagement

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Bits ‘Save The Bits’ Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

Entered in Social Good Campaign

Objective

Since 2021, Verano has collaborated with the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation to launch the "Save to Give Punch Card" Fundraising Campaign throughout the month of October.

This past year, Verano anchored efforts around consumer-favorite edibles brand, Bits, to raise awareness and meaningful support for breast cancer research.

The Save The Bits campaign was launched by Bits in October 2024 to drive awareness and support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in an engaging and purpose-driven way. Our goal was twofold: raise meaningful funds for the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation and ignite conversation and action through our brand’s unique voice and community presence.

As a cannabis brand, we recognized the opportunity to connect with consumers in a fresh, culturally relevant way—one that leaned into the Bits brand’s lighthearted yet intentional personality. ‘Save The Bits’ was designed to make an impact beyond just sales, transforming each purchase into a tangible contribution toward breast cancer research and advocacy. Our primary objectives were to:

By activating a powerful network of dispensary partners and leveraging an omnichannel approach, we set out to prove that a cannabis brand could play a meaningful role in the social good space—one that extends far beyond the traditional scope of cause marketing.

Strategy

To make Save The Bits a success, we executed a multi-channel campaign designed to reach and engage cannabis consumers across their daily touchpoints—from social feeds to retail environments and live experiences.

1. Social-First Storytelling

We activated owned and partner dispensary social channels (225 retail locations) to build awareness, utilizing a mix of playful, yet purpose-driven content. The campaign’s bold and cheeky messaging stood out in a sea of pink ribbon campaigns, positioning Bits as an unexpected but impactful player in the conversation. This included:

2. Email & Direct Consumer Outreach

To drive direct consumer action, Save The Bits was pushed through email marketing campaigns that went beyond promotions—educating subscribers on the mission while offering an easy way to participate. Key tactics included:

3. Retail & In-Store Activation

In-store experiences ensured the campaign translated beyond digital into real-world impact. Bits deployed:

4. Experiential & Event Marketing

To bring the community together, we went beyond traditional cause-marketing tactics by integrating the campaign into live events and consumer experiences. This included:

Results

By uniting social, digital, in-store, and experiential activations, Save The Bits surpassed expectations—raising $50,000 for the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation and positioning Bits as a brand that meaningfully contributes to the greater good. The campaign sparked a groundswell of engagement across dispensary networks and cannabis consumers alike, proving that cannabis brands can show up for social causes in ways that are both authentic and impactful.

 

Media

Entrant Company / Organization Name

Bits

Link