This week, Times Square is aglow with the groovy vibes of psychedelics, as Honeysuckle’s latest takeover of the world’s busiest commercial district breaks new ground for health. Partnered with DoubleBlind Magazine, the premier source for psychedelic exploration around the globe, we’re broadcasting the first ever psychedelic billboard campaign in the United States!
From now to midnight on October 3, we’re disrupting Times Square’s standard profit-driven advertising and fueling a conversation on the benefits of plant medicine Joining us are Musings Magazine, the digital publication highlighting innovations for a sustainable future, founded by environmentalist Susan Rockefeller; and Rainbo Mushrooms, a Canada-based medicinal mushroom company offering product lines of supplements and food products along with education about the healing power of fungi. Together, our team of women-led brands is destigmatizing plant medicine for health; we invite people to visit the board and join the conversation using the hashtag #CelebratePlantMedicine.
Check out the video of our historic board!
“As hundreds of millions of dollars pour into psychedelic drug development and initiatives to sweep the nation, now is the time to introduce nuanced and intentional conversations about psychedelic use to the general public,” said Shelby Hartman, co-founder of DoubleBlind Magazine.
Hartman added that she was drawn to the campaign because DoubleBlind and Honeysuckle both value authenticity in messaging. “We both find our advertising culture, especially in a place like New York, to be problematic,” she explained in a comment to Forbes. “It feels like everywhere – from our screen to our skies – people are trying to sell us things that may not be in our best interest: unhealthy food, unrealistic beauty ideals. For us, it was a powerful opportunity to reclaim some of that space for a message about healing.”
Psychedelics such as psilocybin (“magic mushrooms”), ayahuasca, and chemicals found in plants including LSD, DMT and MDMA are increasingly being legitimized by mainstream industry and society. Studies in 2016 showed that 60 to 80 percent of cancer patients who took psilocybin reported reduced anxiety and depression, while studies conducted in 2020 and 2021 reported that people who used psilocybin to treat stress-related disorders found significant improvement in mental health and mood, as well as displaying greater compassion. MDMA and ketamine have been shown to aid in treatment for trauma disorders, particularly cases of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and additional research suggests some psychedelics may help to treat eating disorders based on patients reporting that their experiences with plant medicine inspired them to eat healthier.
In 2019, Denver, Colorado became the first American city to decriminalize psilocybin. Oregon became the first state to legalize mushrooms for therapeutic purposes in 2020. And last year, leading natural brand Dr. Bronner’s launched its Heal Soul campaign to support psychedelic-assisted therapy, donating funds to organizations such as the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), the Oregon Psilocybin Therapy Measure, Decriminalize DC, and the Indigenous Peyote Conservation Initiative.
Honeysuckle has had a wide breadth of experience in revolutionizing billboard space for holistic and plant-based messaging. We were the first in history to put cannabis and hemp brands on Times Square in 2018, and our previous campaigns have honored regenerative agriculture, women and BIPOC-owned companies, and the debut international Indigenous cannabis collaboration that paid tribute to the legacy of plant medicines being used in First Nations traditions. (We also had a pretty cool salute to diversity with Lil Wayne and his cannabis brand GKUA Ultra Premium.)
“Getting this kind of creative approved is extremely challenging,” noted Honeysuckle’s founder and publisher Ronit Pinto. “But our collaborations on these campaigns – particularly the unprecedented psychedelics initiative with DoubleBlind, Musings and Rainbo - are transformative and stunning.”
Come out to 719 7th Avenue in Times Square and see what all the buzz is about!
Take pictures, videos and go live on social media in front of our billboard. Follow and tag @honeysucklemagazine, @doubleblindmag, @musingsmagazine, @musesmoment, and @rainbomushrooms so we can share your posts! We also encourage you to include information about how psychedelics have transformed your life. Make history with us!
