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Background <p>The proliferation of cannabis advertising on social media platforms indicates a need to understand the influence of online marketing strategies on purchasing and use patterns. This study uses conjoint analysis and survey measures to quantify and rank influential features of social media ads on intention to purchase cannabis products. We also conduct exploratory analysis to identify demographics and attitudes associated with cannabis branding preference and likelihood of purchasing product from a high-risk channel.</p> Methods <p>Participants were recruited from the Prolific panel in December 2024. Inclusion criteria were self-report requirements for: (1) having previously shopped online; and (2) having used cannabis either medicinally or recreationally. Mock social media posts that advertised cannabis products were tested using a choice-based conjoint (CBC) exercise and hierarchical regression modeling. Follow-up survey questions were used to measure purchasing habits and influences on cannabis perceptions, and regression analysis was conducted to examine predictors of branding preferences and high-risk cannabis purchasing.</p> Results <p>Two hundred fifty-three participants were recruited. In the conjoint analysis, <i>Brand Display</i> was the highest ranked attribute on purchasing preference (56.73, SD = 15.42) while <i>Platform</i> ranked lowest (6.91, SD = 5.30). Within the attribute <i>Brand Display</i>, non-celebrity branded was the highest ranked level (91.24, SD = 95.36) followed by unbranded product displayed on a table (51.55, SD = 67.37). Other high ranking post features include: having a store as the author (compared to individuals) (16.58, SD = 42.56), mentioning Indica effects in caption (9.43, SD = 29.91), being on X (formerly Twitter) compared to Instagram, (3.14, SD = 21.57) and showing high engagement (i.e., likes and comments) (9.89, SD = 23.59). Regression analysis showed that educational level (<i>p</i>&lt;.001), age (<i>p</i>&lt;.001), and race (<i>p</i>&lt;.05) had significant associations with cannabis branding preferences. Education was also negatively associated with ever making a high-risk purchase (<i>p</i>&lt;.001) while age showed a positive association (<i>p</i>&lt;.05).</p> Conclusions <p>Branding was the most important factor in purchasing intention among cannabis online consumers and results from both the conjoint analysis and survey show that cannabis users are most interested in relaxation effects and do not value celebrity endorsements. These findings can inform future studies in identifying and characterizing online marketing promotion that is influential on consumer cannabis use and sourcing behavior.</p>

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Investigating purchasing preferences of cannabis products on social media: conjoint analysis and online survey

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月29日

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  • Michael Robert Haupt,
  • Joshua S. Yang,
  • Matthew Nali,
  • Tim Ken Mackey

摘要

Background

The proliferation of cannabis advertising on social media platforms indicates a need to understand the influence of online marketing strategies on purchasing and use patterns. This study uses conjoint analysis and survey measures to quantify and rank influential features of social media ads on intention to purchase cannabis products. We also conduct exploratory analysis to identify demographics and attitudes associated with cannabis branding preference and likelihood of purchasing product from a high-risk channel.

Methods

Participants were recruited from the Prolific panel in December 2024. Inclusion criteria were self-report requirements for: (1) having previously shopped online; and (2) having used cannabis either medicinally or recreationally. Mock social media posts that advertised cannabis products were tested using a choice-based conjoint (CBC) exercise and hierarchical regression modeling. Follow-up survey questions were used to measure purchasing habits and influences on cannabis perceptions, and regression analysis was conducted to examine predictors of branding preferences and high-risk cannabis purchasing.

Results

Two hundred fifty-three participants were recruited. In the conjoint analysis, Brand Display was the highest ranked attribute on purchasing preference (56.73, SD = 15.42) while Platform ranked lowest (6.91, SD = 5.30). Within the attribute Brand Display, non-celebrity branded was the highest ranked level (91.24, SD = 95.36) followed by unbranded product displayed on a table (51.55, SD = 67.37). Other high ranking post features include: having a store as the author (compared to individuals) (16.58, SD = 42.56), mentioning Indica effects in caption (9.43, SD = 29.91), being on X (formerly Twitter) compared to Instagram, (3.14, SD = 21.57) and showing high engagement (i.e., likes and comments) (9.89, SD = 23.59). Regression analysis showed that educational level (p<.001), age (p<.001), and race (p<.05) had significant associations with cannabis branding preferences. Education was also negatively associated with ever making a high-risk purchase (p<.001) while age showed a positive association (p<.05).

Conclusions

Branding was the most important factor in purchasing intention among cannabis online consumers and results from both the conjoint analysis and survey show that cannabis users are most interested in relaxation effects and do not value celebrity endorsements. These findings can inform future studies in identifying and characterizing online marketing promotion that is influential on consumer cannabis use and sourcing behavior.