- Solo Stove, the marketer of smokeless fire pits, has appointed two new brand ambassadors fresh off a Snoop Dogg partnership that fizzled out, in accordance with a press release.
- Award-winning chef Ann Kim and outdoorsman Zachary Fowler will promote Solo Stove’s product lineup, emphasizing the brand’s “passion for fire, cooking, and unforgettable moments” to consumers, the discharge said. The pair are part of Solo Stove’s inaugural ambassador team.
- Solo Stove’s tie-up with Snoop Dogg late last yr generated heaps of earned media attention and social buzz but did not drive sales throughout the key holiday window, ultimately denting parent Solo Brands’ performance and leading the corporate to shake up leadership.
Solo Stove is seeking to turn a new leaf in 2024 after a much-hyped campaign with Snoop Dogg backfired in spectacular fashion. The celebrity ambassadorship drew an enormous amount of attention to the area of interest brand in November, making a viral moment ahead of the vacation shopping rush. Snoop Dogg first teased the work with a mysterious post pledging to “surrender smoke,” a wink to his fondness for cannabis that piqued online curiosity. A follow-up ad revealed that the shocking decision was actually part of a marketing stunt and that the rapper was talking about his preference for Solo Stove’s smokeless fire pits.
On paper, the hassle appeared like a surefire marketing win and was heralded within the trade press for its creativity. But the pricey campaign did not deliver on sales expectations and ended up denting parent Solo Brands’ revenue for 2023. The company kicked off the yr by mutually parting ways with CEO John Merris, with Christopher Metz stepping in to fill the highest role.
As part of its strategy shakeup, Solo Stove is enlisting a fresh pair of ambassadors which might be more closely aligned with its outdoor lifestyle positioning. Fowler will probably be familiar to consumers for his winning run on History Channel’s ultra-intense survival competition “Alone,” which strands participants within the wilderness in isolation to fend for themselves. The outdoorsman has since gone on to run a YouTube channel focused on survival challenges that currently has 1.5 million subscribers.
Kim, who has won a James Beard Award, has also raised her profile through reality TV after a feature on Netflix’s “Chef’s Table.” The Minneapolis-based culinary maven is thought for her restaurant Young Joni, which carries a menu of pizza and wood-fired dishes inspired by her Korean background.
Each ambassador will showcase Solo Stove products which might be suited to their expertise. Fowler will promote Solo Stove’s smokeless fire pits and grill accessories while Kim will tout the brand’s Pi Pizza Oven.
“Brand ambassadors are people you possibly can point to and say, ‘That’s what our brand stands for,’” said Justin Lake, creative director of Solo Stove, in an announcement. “We appreciate and embrace diverse takes of our brand. Ann and Zachary contribute totally unique backgrounds, but what they’ve in common is a love of the outside, fire, food, togetherness, and turning good moments into lasting memories.”
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