Snoop Dogg’s “Giving Up Smoke” viral ad failed, got CEO fired

Snoop Dogg’s viral “Giving Up Smoke” campaign for Solo Brands was a hit, with Ad Age ranking it No. 18 on its list of 40 best ads of 2023 — but that didn’t translate to sales. “I have an announcement,” Snoop said in a video shared to social media. “I’m going smokeless. Solo Stove fixed fire—they took out the smoke. Clever.” Solo anticipated earning $520 to $540 million in 2024, but those projections have now dropped to $490 million to $500 million. The company also fired its former CEO John Merris, and replaced him with former Vista Outdoor CEO Christopher Metz.