Cannabis ad goes live in Japan, Alibaba introduces food delivery drones: International round-up

Plus Amazon drives dinosaur-sized box around LA in Jurassic World marketing stunt and Syrian refugee children coin Australian slang in new aid campaign.

First outdoor advert for medicinal cannabis goes live in Japan

In a landmark move, an outdoor ad for medicinal cannabis has gone live in Japan with the help of an Australian-based health brand Elixinol .

The launch follows a drawn-out battle with Japanese regulators, therefore marking the first time a company has gained approval to advertise cannabidiol hemp oil – better known as CBD.

Created in partnership with Japanese agency Tsuge Production and Dentsu Tec, the billboard was installed in Tokyo’s Omotesando train station in early May.

While lawmakers in Japan legalised medicinal marijuana in November 2016, Elixinol Japan CEO Makoto Matsumaru says brands hadn’t been able to gain permission to market their products.

In a statement he explains Japan’s “strong cultural connection with hemp” and that it has been commonly used by Japanese people dating back to ancient times.

“Approval to commercially advertise our Hemp Oil Drops is a major win for the hemp industry and comes after many months of working with the relevant authorities to gain authorisation,” he says.

READ MORE: Australian brand launches first Japanese medicinal cannabis campaign

Amazon drives dinosaur-sized box around LA in marketing stunt

Is it a Tyrannosaurus, a Velociraptor, or a Triceratops?

While it’s almost certainly none of those, that hasn’t stopped Amazon from grabbing attention by driving a truck carrying a Jurassic-sized box around the streets of Los Angeles.

The box, which is promotes ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ also contains air holes alongside the hashtag #AmazonFindsAWay which is a subtle reference to Jeff Goldblum’s comments on dinosaur reproduction from the franchise’s maiden film.

The shipping label is also addressed to Jurassic World protagonists Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard).

Passersby are able to  scan the labels on the box via the company’s SmileCode smartphone app, which will then allow them to purchase tickets to the movie.

The box also prompts consumers to ask Amazon Alexa, “what’s in the box?”.

READ MORE: Amazon is driving around a Jurassic-sized box, and you can ask Alexia what’s inside

Alibaba introduces food delivery drones in China

Having your food delivered by car or motorbike might seem like a prehistoric means of transportation now Alibaba’s online meal giant Ele.me was given permission to deliver food orders in Shanghai’s Jinshan Industrial Park using drones.

While the drones won’t deliver your order to your doorstep there will be two designated delivery points and 17 routes spanning 58 square kilometres. Drones will also pick up orders from more than 100 restaurants, meaning food should arrive within 20 minutes.

According to Ele.me, drone technology means drivers will only need to cover about 15% of routes. It works by having delivery personnel at each starting point: one is responsible for gathering all takeaway orders and placing those inside the cargo hold of the drone.

The other at the delivery point will then distribute the meals carried by each drone directly to the specified addresses of customers.

READ MORE: Alibaba’s El.me starts food delivery by drone in Shanghai first

Russia piles pressure on Apple to remove Telegram from App Store

apple store

Russia and Apple are locked in a heated debate over popular messaging app, Telegram.

It is understood Russian telecoms provider Roskomnadzor has given the tech-giant one month to remove the app from the Russian version of the App Store. However, it is unclear what will happen if Apple fails to adhere to the request.

Telegram, one of the world’s most popular messaging services, was developed in Russia and is available for download on tablets, computers and mobile. It provides end-to-end encryption meaning the the likes of the Russian government or third parties do not have access to the messages.

However, due to Russia’s internet regulations the company has since moved its base to Dubai.

READ MORE: Apple and Russia face off over Telegram on App Store

Syrian refugees coin Aussie slang and eat Vegemite to promote fundraising initiative

Vegemite is an acquired taste and Syrian refugee children can vouch for that.

In a bid to promote the launch of international aid agency, Act for Peace’s annual Ration Challenge, Syrian refugee children have been filmed tasting Vegemite for the first time while adopting Australian slang.

The Ration Challenge is a fundraising initiative where participants eat the same rations as a refugee for one week.

To promote the initiative, two short videos have been produced by an in-house team at Act for Peace.

In the first, Syrian refugee children can be heard using popular Australian phrases such as “no worries, “g’day mate” and “she’ll be right”. While the second video shows the kids trying Vegemite. And it’s safe to say, they’re not a fan.

The Ration Challenge co-founder and global marketing manager at Act for Peace, Karen McGrath, says the challenge is a practical, empowering and meaningful way in which Australians can raise funds for Syrian refugees living in Jordan and other parts of the world.

“The Vegemite video engages people in a light-hearted way, and shows kids simply being kids, with their different likes and dislikes, while using Vegemite to connect Syrian kids with Aussies. [The] ‘Kids saying Aussie phrases’ video is reflection of the fun we had with the kids trying out typical Aussie slang and sayings – some of them were easier than others,” she says.

Funds raised from the challenge support Syrian refugees from disaster affected families across the world.

READ MORE: Syrian refugee kids try Vegemite and attempt Aussie slang to promote Ration Challenge

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