Last Thursday, Snoop Dogg shared an update on social media that got everyone talking: “After much consideration & conversation with my family, I’ve decided to give up smoke,” the post read. “Please respect my privacy at this time.”
Snoop Dogg’s giving up smoke announcement is actually an ad for Solo Stove
Those two sentences, beside a black-and-white photo of the West Coast rapper, his hands folded contemplatively, immediately reverberated throughout his millions of followers around the world. Comments flooded in from fans, ranging from well wishes to disbelief. Media outlets seized on the sudden about-face. “Snoop Dogg says he’s giving up smoking weed,” one CNN headline published Friday said. Stoners from Humboldt County to the cafes of Amsterdam wondered if the marijuana mogul, who’s rapped about pot for decades and owns his own cannabis company, could really be passing the joint for good.
Well, today we get the branded punch line: The only smoke that will no longer be in Snoop’s life is the smoke from his outdoor fire pit. Snoop has a new endorsement deal with Solo Stove, the maker of high-tech, smokeless fire pits, pizza ovens and more.
“When Solo Stove gave us the challenge to show the world their fire pits are smokeless and draw in new customers, we knew we had to go big,” said Allison Apperson, associate creative director at The Martin Agency, which developed the partnership and campaign.
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Added The Martin Agency Senior Copywriter Chase Zreet: “We all realized that for this to work, it had to be Snoop Dogg. He is the only person on the planet who has that level of charisma, brand ambassadorship and, most importantly, a smoke-related public persona. He’s really one of one—both the perfect person and the only person for the job.”
To introduce Snoop as Solo Stove’s official “smokesman,” the company is debuting its first large-scale national marketing push, which includes social, podcast, out-of-home and digital and will be anchored by a 30-second broadcast commercial (above).
The spot echoes the social media post, before Snoop clarifies that he’s actually done with “the coughing and my clothes smelling all sticky-icky”—which is why he has a Solo Stove.
The rapper will also be lending his name to a line of Snoop Dogg-branded Solo Stove products.
The first item up for sale is a bundle timed with today’s campaign launch, which includes a fire pit and stand designed in collaboration with the rapper, a bucket hat and a limited edition sticker pack. It’s collectively priced at $349.99 and is available now on Solo Stove’s website and goingsmokeless.com.