These days it can be hard to tell whether a celebrity's social media post is actually an ad in disguise, such is the ubiquity of subtle sponcon these days. The latest to pull such a stunt is Snoop Dogg – but the rapper's ad for a of 'smokeless' stove was so hilariously on brand that he may have got away with it (just).
"After much consideration and conversation with my family, I've decided to give up smoke. Please respect my privacy at this time," Snoop shared in a now-deleted tweet earlier this week. Of course, most took this to mean the rapper had decided to give up smoking cannabis – something of a screeching gear change for someone so famously on board with all things green. But, as some suspected (below), all was not as it seemed.
No, Snoop was in fact plugging a 'smokeless' fire pit from Solo Stove. "I'm done with it," he shared in an ad posted a few days later. "I'm going smokeless." Cut to: Snoop roasting a marshmallow over said stove. He was, in the words of Mark Corrigan, lampooning us. It was a simple lampoon. Sure, there's something extremely cynical about the whole 'Surprise! It's an ad!' reveal. But the joke is just about clever enough, and delivered with sufficient swagger and self-awareness, that it seems to have landed.
pic.twitter.com/6sp5Qull2aNovember 20, 2023
But instead of disappointed, most seem to have enjoyed what is essentially a protracted 'Dad joke'. "Whoever did this campaign needs an immediate raise," one Instagrammer commented, while another added, "Genius level marketing campaign right here. From the 3 day lead up to this ad. Brilliant." "Why do I get the feeling Snoop didn't even want to get paid for this and just did it for the bit?" another pontificated.
But this isn't the first time Snoop's hazy reputation has allowed for some genius marketing. Back in 2021, he teamed up with Martha Stewart (above) to promote a lighter that's "perfect for candles... and more!" Whatever could that 'more' be suggesting, we wonder?
