• by Danielle Oster , August 20, 2024

In a follow-up to one of the more divisive marketing stunts of last year, Snoop Dogg is reuniting with Solo Stove for some “Blunt Marketing.”

When the hip-hop icon’s post on social media announcing that he’d decided to give up “smoke” was revealed to be part of a marketing campaign for the smokeless firepit, not everyone was pleased with the bait-and-switch approach. Some had initially surmised the famously 420-friendly celebrity was switching to edible cannabis consumption to avoid health risks associated with smoking.

While the initial reveal ad, “Snoop Dogg Goes Smokeless” certainly got people’s attention  garnering over two million views on YouTube, the campaign didn’t translate to anticipated sales increases, Solo Brands interim CFO Andrea Tarbox noted in a 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,” Tarbox added. The company subsequently selected PMG as its new media agency of record earlier this year.

This time around, Solo Stove and Snoop Dogg are going in the opposite direction, with a new campaign that cuts right to the chase. In the “Blunt Marketing” hero ad, the famously smoke-friendly rapper appears next to longtime friend and collaborator Warren G, noting, “I'm here because you're more likely to buy this fire pit because I'm Snoop.”

Another ad  in the campaign promotes Solo Stove’s pizza oven, with additional supporting ads focusing on specific aspects of Solo Stove’s firepit and pizza oven, such as promoting the former as “Easy To Light.”

While last year’s effort seemed to rely largely on to the attention-grabbing stunt, and subsequent reveal, parent company Solo Brands is going big with ”Blunt Marketing” across myriad channels. The campaign, created in partnership with The Martin Agency, is running across video, digital, social media, influencer marketing, audio, search, performance and retail marketing channels. It will also appear during such major programming as "Thursday Night Football” and season 26 of “The Voice,” which features Snoop Dogg as a coach.

The campaign also includes an extension of limited-edition Snoop x Solo Stove fire pits, created in collaboration with Snoop Dogg, which are available for sale along  with  merchandise like fire pit accessories, sweatshirts, hats and hoodies. There will also be Snoop Dogg Fire Rings and Surround Lites sold separately, available for purchase online.

The considerable investment behind the campaign is part of a larger pivot for the brand, which also announced a recent series of leadership changes.

“We brought Snoop back in an entirely new way with a deliberate nod to how brands engage influencers to promote their products. This isn't just marketing, it's blunt, direct, unapologetic and entertaining,” Solo Brands CMO Luana Bumachar added, while expressing confidence in the approach’s success.

The “Blunt Marketing” campaign will lead up to the release of three “innovative” products offering “unique enhancements designed to elevate the outdoor living experience” this fall, according to the brand, and continue running through the rest of the year.