CEO Fired After Snoop Dogg’s “Giving up Smoke” Campaign “Did Not Lead to Sales”
Solo Brands has bid farewell to its CEO following the lacklustre performance of the Snoop Dogg “Giving Up Smoke” campaign, which failed to translate into the expected sales. In November, the iconic ‘Gin and Juice’ rapper publicly declared his decision to kick the smoking habit, sharing a brief statement on his official social media accounts: “After much consideration and conversation with my family, I have decided to give up smoke. Please respect my privacy at this time,” without delving into further details.
The campaign featured Snoop Dogg seated in a chair making the surprising announcement, stating, “I have an announcement, I am giving up smoke.” He humorously acknowledged the perception, saying, “I know what you’re thinking: ‘Snoop, smoke is kinda your whole thing,’ but I’m done with it. Done with the coughing and my clothes smelling all sticky-icky. I’m going smokeless.”
The rapper then transitioned to promote Solo Stove, the smokeless woodburning machines he collaborated with: “Solo Stove fixed fire. They took out the smoke. Clever.”
Also Read: Snoop Dogg Can’t Call His Cereal Brand ‘Snoop Loopz’
Despite the advert’s success in gaining attention and securing the 18th spot on Ad Age’s list of the 40 best ads of 2023, Solo Brands decided to part ways with its former CEO, John Merris. Christopher Metz, the former CEO of Vista Outdoor, stepped into the role.
Solo Brands’ interim CFO, Andrea Tarbox, explained the decision, stating, “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.”
Tarbox acknowledged that the fourth quarter results fell below expectations due to softer-than-anticipated sales in the direct channel. Despite the campaign not achieving the desired sales figures, it did attract approximately 60,000 new followers across Solo Brands’ social media accounts.
