Weedmaps, an online legal marijuana community that allows users to review and discuss cannabis strains and local dispensaries, were set to debut an advertisement targeting New York's adult crowd early Tuesday morning when CBS pulled it for review, CNN Money reported.
The ad was purchased by Weedmaps, a medical marijuana review site where patients can post their accounts of anything from local dispensaries to doctors, according to CNN Money.
The ad featured a 10-second looping video that displays the words "HIGH, NYC" on a light green background before revealing the name of the company which then vanishes into a cloud of smoke to show the site's URL and a hashtag: #HighNYC, CNN Money reported.
The planned spot was supposed to be displayed at 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues at the heart of Times Square according to CNN Money.
Neutron Media, the company which owns and manages the billboard, sent an email to Weedmaps in mid-March approving the ad which was meant to present marijuana in a professional light, CNN Money reported.
CBS does not manage the billboard, but it can review content that it may not be comfortable associating with its brand since its logo appears on the billboard, according to CNN Money.
CBS is currently reviewing the Weedmaps ad due to the nature of what it is promoting, according to a spokesperson, CNN Money reported.
Weedmaps only found out that the ad wasn't running yet when they went to Times Square Wednesday morning, a day after it was suppose to run, according to CNN Money.
CBS removed another ad for review in 2010 when the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws was scheduled to run a 15-second pro-legalization ad in 2010 on the same billboard as the Weedmaps spot, CNN Money reported.
Since their launch in 2008, Weedmaps has increased in popularity and has seen a 30% growth year over year and had 2.7 million visitors just last month, CNN Money reported. Its Time Square ad was scheduled to run 18 hours a day for the next two months in addition to a guerrilla marketing campaign around New York City.
