Snoop Dogg’s “Give Up Smoke” Ad Falls Short In Sales, Company Changes Leadership
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Last year, Snoop Dogg had the internet in a frenzy when he denounced smoking marijuana — so much that Meek Mill and Coi Leray both announced that they’d follow suit.
However, Snoop’s “Give Up Smoke” campaign fooled everyone when it was revealed that his PSA was only a marketing ploy to sell Solo Brands’ smokeless Solo Stove. Although the ad was genius — being that Snoop is one of the most notable connoisseurs of cannabis — it still wasn’t enough to bring in significant sales of the fire pit.
Solo Brands — which is comprised of Solo Stove, Chubbies, Oru Kayak, and Isle — has changed leadership following the solo stove’s low sales, according to The Daily Outdoor Retailer. In a “mutual” split, Solo announced the departure of CEO John Merris’ and appointment of former Vista Outdoor CEO, Christopher Metz, as its new president, CEO, and director of the board.
Reportedly, Snoop’s trolling campaign was viewed as a huge success for Solo, as it ranked No. 18 on Ad Age‘s 40 best ads list of 2023. However, according to Interim CFO, Andrea Tarbox, the “Give Up Smoke” ad “raised brand awareness” but did not “lead to the sales lift” that they planned.
“While our unique marketing campaigns raised brand awareness of Solo Stove to an expanded and new audience of consumers, it did not lead to the sales lift that we had planned, which, combined with the increased marketing investments, negatively impacted our EBITDA,” Tarbox stated in a press release. “We believe there is a significant opportunity for us to build awareness and that these new campaigns will expand our reach and benefit our brands over the long term.”
In a statement to VIBE, the company declared, “Solo Brands’ recent marketing campaigns drove and continue to generate exposure to new audiences, enabling us to reach previously untapped customer categories. In particular, Solo Brands considers the viral Snoop Dogg campaign extremely successful. It inserted our Solo Stove brand into cultural conversations, dramatically increased exposure for Solo Stove and laid the groundwork for future opportunities.”
“As we continue to push a marketing strategy that blends direct response marketing with brand awareness campaigns, we recognize that brand awareness campaigns have a longer-term conversion cycle,” it continues. “That said, we believe there is a nurturing process that has to occur for those potential new customers who are being made aware of our brand for the first time – and the continued investment in this strategy and our overall brand awareness will set us up for long-term success.”
Going forward under Metz’ leadership, Solo has subsequently revised its guidance for 2023 with realistic expectations for 2024. The company expects to bring in between $490 million and $500 million, compared to its previous guidance of $520 million to $540 million.
“I believe the best is yet to come for Solo and can’t wait to watch this next chapter unfold under Chris’ leadership,” Merris told The Daily.
Revisit Snoop Dogg’s “Give Up Smoke” announcement above.
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