Civilized Worldwide Inc. (“Civilized”), a leading media and lifestyle brand that highlights and embraces modern cannabis culture, announced today its plans to acquire Business of Cannabis, an authoritative platform for news, events, analysis and insights into the growing cannabis industry. Both digital publications are challenging outdated cannabis stereotypes by bringing authentic business and lifestyle stories to audiences across North America.
The acquisition will see Civilized establish a physical presence in Toronto, the largest city in the only G7 country with legalized recreational cannabis. It will also create new revenue and partnership opportunities through access to Business of Cannabis’s targeted business audience and create new efficiencies in content creation and delivery.
“The team at Business of Cannabis has really shed a light on the leadership and sophistication of the business side of the Canadian cannabis industry,” says Derek Riedle, Civilized’s Publisher. “They have become influential thought leaders in our common goal of eliminating stigma by sharing news stories that more accurately reflect the reality of today’s cannabis culture. They are great people and good friends. We are excited to bring them into our expanding portfolio as we strengthen our position as a leading source for cannabis news, stories and information.”
With expert insights, dynamic research and fresh perspectives, Business of Cannabis has become a trusted source not only for the cannabis industry C-suite, but also for some of Canada’s top mainstream media – including the Globe and Mail, Postmedia, Global News and the Huffington Post. Business of Cannabis was founded in July 2017 by Blaine Pearson, Jay Rosenthal and Reva Seth. The trio celebrates the first-year anniversary of their public debut, today.
“In this industry, depth and reach are the pillars that separate the leaders from the followers, and this acquisition delivers that in spades,” said Jay Rosenthal, President, Business of Cannabis. “With Civilized, we can build on our strong leadership position and leverage their expert content and events team to give our audience a more robust, compelling and holistic offering.”
The planned acquisition is expected to close by the end of 2018, following the completion of the final due diligence review. Rosenthal and Pearson will continue to lead daily operations from Toronto and become employees of Civilized, with Seth remaining on as a strategic advisor.
In addition to its plans to acquire Business of Cannabis, Civilized recently announced plans to acquire The 420 Games, North America’s only events company that shines a spotlight on the complementary pairing of cannabis and athleticism.