Smojo: New Smoking Screen Break Through via Grassroots Marketing

“Frustrated by constant pipe cleaning and screen clogging, I started playing with ways to create a new type of smoking screen that was long lasting, gave a great draw, and was easy to use and clean,” stated Chris Brown, the inventor of Smojo®, a patented new type of “Permanent” smoking screen.  “Smojo works like a charm and users love it. But it has been difficult to get the word out to the pipe smoking community given the maze of rules, regulations and corporate policies surrounding both tobacco and cannabis advertising industries.”

What’s Wrong With Existing Screens?

Consumers have used smoking screens for decades. They keep out most of the ash and resins that clog your pipe, thus prolonging the interval between cleanings.  Screens also prevent the user from experiencing a burnt lip or having big chunks of partially burnt material floating in your water. Additionally, they help prevent the loss of expensive medication. 

But the problem with screens is that they constantly become permanently clogged and need to be replaced. This creates frustration for the user, waste for the environment, and creates the need to constantly buy more screens or risk running out. Furthermore, finding the right size of screen and getting it to fit into and stay in the bowl is always a problem. The newer glass daisy type screens fit nicely but fall out every time you empty your bowl. Smojo fixes these problems and thus makes life easier for pipe smokers.

Huge Growth of Smojo

Smojo’s design is so unique it received a U.S. patent and is patent pending in Canada and the E.U. “We spent over a year designing and perfecting Smojo. Once we hit the beta testing phase, we started getting rave reviews and we knew we had something great! We continue to get five star reviews. That has fueled our growth,” stated Chris Brown, COO of the Helpful Monkey, the makers of Smojo. Originally launched at Hempfest 2018, in just over two years the Smojo base has grown over 300,000 users.

Simple Genius of Design

Pipe smokers quickly understand how its tiny legs get inserted into the hole at the bottom of the bowl of the pipe and how the top of Smojo guards the hole preventing ash from passing through. They “immediately get” how Smojo works. Once they see how easy it is to pop into and out of their pipe for cleaning, they see Smojo’s simple genius.

Smojo fits most single hole glass pipes. They are made in the U.S. of medical grade stainless steel and are steam cleaned before packaging. Our users trust that Smojo is safe to smoke and will not add any metallic taste or smell whatsoever. Cleaning is easily accomplished by soaking it in alcohol or by heating it with your lighter. Smojo lasts for years without needing replacement and provides the perfect draw for your pipe.

Grassroots Marketing

Marketing Smojo has been the biggest challenge. In addition to federal laws regulating advertising, many corporations such as Google and Amazon have policies against marketing or selling tobacco or cannabis-related accessories.  Most publications refuse advertising of these products also.

This calls for creativity in reaching the target audience. So the company has turned to more creative marketing including social media, trade shows, festivals, gift boxes, swag bags, and PR. 

“We knew if we allowed users to experience Smojo, they would not want to ever smoke again without a Smojo. So we started with a lot of free trials to plant our grass seeds,” Brown continued. “We gave several thousand units away initially. Now through word of mouth those grass seeds have grown to the point where we can get the attention of potential marketing partners.” 

For example, the company partnered with one of the first legal smoking lounges, The Original Cannabis Cafe, in Los Angeles.  “We were chosen to be the only screen provided at the cafe. That would have enabled thousands of smokers to experience Smojo! Unfortunately, COVID shut everything down before that could happen,” lamented Brown.

The internet and social media have been one of our primary focus areas. Now it is easy to find Smojo on the internet if users search for terms like “Smojo smoking screens” on their favorite search engine. There users will find the www.smojoscreen.com web site and several in-depth third party reviews. Smojo has earned a great reputation and regularly receives rave reviews on several popular online stores and social media sites.

“I monitor these sites daily and I love seeing the great comments from new users in online posts,” said Brown.

Partnerships

This is due, in part, to the strong set of distribution partners serving the “brick and mortar” tobacco stores and head shops. 

“We have national coverage throughout the U.S. and Canada through our distributors and are already available in over 800 stores growing rapidly. We are working closely with these distribution partners to build awareness of the easy profit opportunity with Smojo in the brick and mortar retail outlets. We’ve even participated in several incentive marketing programs to help educate store buyers on the benefits of carrying Smojo in their stores.“

In addition to partnering with distributors, we also are looking for high quality glass pipe makers to team up with to provide the “Smojo inside” program where the pipe comes pre-equipped with a Smojo from the pipe vendor.  

“We recently partnered with Empire Glassworks on a very successful marketing program and are always on the lookout for new partnering opportunities,” commented Brown.

Dispensaries also represent a new marketing opportunity for Smojo in Canada and the U.S. states where cannabis is legal.  “We have used in store video ads successfully and are currently working with select dispensaries to create special in store promotional programs to create awareness and demand for Smojo,” Brown added.

The Future Outlook

With this simple but mighty product, the company has seen excellent growth. Smojo continues to gain in popularity through word of mouth in the user community, through the many third-party reviews, and through the marketing and sales efforts of our partners.  “People like discovering neat new things and telling their friends…that is what is happening with Smojo,” Brown said, “and that will ensure Smojo continues to grow.”