How Snoop Dogg’s ‘Giving Up Smoke’ ad for stove company failed and got CEO removed

John Merris, the CEO of Solo Brands, has left the company following the disappointing results generated even after Snoop Dogg’s marketing campaign for the Solo Stove.

According to The Daily Outdoor Retailer, Solo Brands has changed CEOs, turning over the role to Christopher Metz, following considerable marketing efforts made by the company including Snoop’s ad campaign that failed to raise revenue.

In Solo’s viral marketing campaign in November, rapper Snoop hinted he was “giving up smoke.” Snoop said on social media, “After much consideration & conversation with my family, I’ve decided to give up smoke. Please respect my privacy at this time.”

Snoop sent social media into a state of disbelief, only to learn it was an advertisement for Solo’s smokeless fire pits. According to The Daily, Solo’s Snoop marketing effort was seen as a big hit at the time. The collaboration was voted number 18 on Ad Age’s list of the 40 top ads of 2023.

Merris, the then-CEO and director of Solo, even stated that in the days following the ad’s release, the company garnered approximately 60,000 new social media followers.

Nevertheless, Interim CFO Andrea Tarbox has now stated in a statement that the advertising campaigns did not result in an increase in revenue for the company.

Tarbox stated, “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. 

“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.”

The statement said Merris agreed to “mutually separate” from the brand.