Known as much for his love of weed as for his music, celebrity rapper Snoop Dogg posted Thursday on X that he was “giving up smoke,” an announcement that raised eyebrows among some fans, while others figured it must be a marketing ploy. To be blunt, it was the latter, and Richmond’s The Martin Agency was the dispenser of the buzzy advertisement.
Dogg, also an unlikely business partner of Martha Stewart, revealed Monday that he’s partnering with Texas-based smokeless fire pit maker Solo Stove, which is releasing a Snoop Dogg x Solo Stove collaboration line of products.
“I’m done with the coughing and my clothes smelling all sticky icky. I’m going smokeless. Solo Stove fixed fire. They took out the smoke. Clever,” he says in the video posted to his social media accounts, which ends with the 17-time Grammy nominee chuckling while roasting a marshmallow over a product from Solo Stove, a manufacturer of fire pits, stoves and other accessories under lifestyle product company Solo Brands.
The ad had 56.7 million views on X (formerly Twitter) and about 57,400 likes on Instagram as of midday Tuesday, and was created by The Martin Agency, the Richmond-based ad agency that was Adweek’s Agency of the Year in 2020 and 2021 and Ad Age’s Agency of the Year in 2023. The 58-year-old firm is the agency of record for Goochland County-based Fortune 500 used car retailer CarMax, as well as Royal Caribbean, Old Navy and other high-profile clients.
“We’re stoked to have a product so good, it even inspired Snoop to go smokeless. As the most popular smokeless fire pit in the world, Solo Stove is all about bringing people together and creating a vibe that encourages you to sit back, relax and enjoy your time with friends and family. Snoop, like Solo, is about good moments, and we’re looking forward to welcoming even more people to the Solo Stove family,” Solo Brands CEO John Merris said in a statement.
The joint line began with several products rolled into a $350 bundle: a bonfire fire pit featuring a design by the Doggfather, a fire pit stand, a removable base plate and ash pan, a bucket hat that reads “Going Smokeless” and a Snoop x Solo sticker pack.
Nonetheless, it’s probably a safe bet the rapper is “Still Smokin” in other ways.