logo
RAW® Rolling Papers Surpasses over 300 Million Organic Views on Meta Platforms in April 2025

RAW® Rolling Papers Surpasses over 300 Million Organic Views on Meta Platforms in April 2025

Yahoo14-05-2025

20-Year-Old Brand Organically Shatters Social Media Expectations; Solidifies Position as One of The Most Influential Brands in the Industry
Phoenix, Arizona, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RAW® Rolling Papers continues to prove its cultural dominance and unmatched brand loyalty with a staggering 300 million+ organic views across Meta platforms during the month of April 2025. Without a single dollar spent on paid ads, the brand's content spread like wildfire — shared, reposted, and celebrated by fans across the globe through its official Meta handles: @rawlife247, @raw, and Josh's @rawkandroll.
The numbers are more than just impressive — they're a testament to RAW®'s unwavering connection to its community and its ability to organically drive mass engagement in an era dominated by paid media.
'Our audience is the algorithm,' said Josh Kesselman, founder of RAW®. 'We don't chase trends — we set them. This kind of reach isn't luck, it's love. RAW is powered by real people sharing RAWthentic moments, real culture, and a passion for smoking. When you build something authentic, people don't just follow — they amplify.'
With over 300 million organic views tracked in April 2025 alone, RAW®'s reach on Meta is a case study in how purpose-driven brands can lead global conversations without relying on traditional media buys. From viral rolling tutorials to behind-the-scenes exclusives, philanthropic shoutouts, and the unmistakable RAW® energy, the brand's content continues to resonate with a new generation of cannabis consumers and culture lovers.
RAW's social success also underscores its position as not just a leader in rolling papers, but as a movement rooted in creativity, justice, and community.
'This isn't just a flex — it's proof of purpose,' Kesselman added. 'We built RAW® for the people, and now they're carrying the flame.'
About HBI InternationalHBI International, now HBI Innovations, is an independent, world-famous provider of high-quality rolling papers, cones, and other smoking innovations, including the legendary RAW® brand, the unbleached rolling papers that are used by millions worldwide. In addition to RAW®, HBI distributes incredibly popular brands such as Elements, Juicy Jay's, and Kingpin and has grown its portfolio to more than 2,500 SKUs and numerous patents. Under the leadership of its founder Josh Kesselman, HBI is dedicated to operating under a philosophy that prioritizes both product excellence and ethical business practices. The company's humanitarian effort, RAW Giving, has donated more than $2.5 million in direct cash contributions, plus in-kind contributions of about $200,000, to a wide variety of charities and causes, including clean water, animal rescue, reforestation, and more.
###
CONTACT: Cynthia Salarizadeh RAW Rolling Papers (833) 328-3478 press@ashamediagroup.comSign in to access your portfolio

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Week in Review: Meta reveals its Oakley smart glasses
Week in Review: Meta reveals its Oakley smart glasses

Yahoo

time6 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Week in Review: Meta reveals its Oakley smart glasses

Welcome back to Week in Review! Lots in store for you today, including Wix's latest acquisition, Meta's new smart glasses, a look at the new Digg, and much more. Have a great weekend! Smart specs: Meta and Oakley have teamed up on a new pair of smart glasses that can record 3K video, play music, handle calls, and respond to Meta AI prompts. They start at $399 and have double the battery life of Meta's Ray-Bans. A $499 limited-edition Oakley Meta HSTN model will be available starting July 11. Unicorn watch: Wix bought 6-month-old solo startup Base44 for $80 million in cash after it quickly gained traction as a no-code AI tool for building web apps. Created by a single founder and already profitable, Base44's rapid rise made scooping it up irresistible. Sand to the rescue: Finland just turned on the world's largest sand battery — yes, actual sand — which stores heat to help power the small town of Pornainen's heating system and cut its carbon emissions. The low-tech, low-cost system is built from discarded fireplace soapstone, is housed in a giant silo, and can store heat for weeks, proving you don't need fancy lithium to fight climate change. You just need a pile of hot rocks. This is TechCrunch's Week in Review, where we recap the week's biggest news. Want this delivered as a newsletter to your inbox every Saturday? Sign up here. We're back, baby: VanMoof is back from the brink with the S6, its first e-bike since bankruptcy — and it's sticking to its signature custom design, despite that being what nearly killed the company. Backed by McLaren tech and a beefed-up repair network, the new VanMoof promises smoother rides, smarter features, and (hopefully) fewer stranded cyclists. Space lasers: Baiju Bhatt, best known for co-founding Robinhood, is now building lasers in space. His new startup, Aetherflux, has raised $60 million to prove that beaming solar power from orbit isn't a fantasy, with a demo satellite set to launch next year and early backing from the Department of Defense. Oh no: One of SpaceX's Starship rockets exploded during a test in Texas, likely pushing back the vehicle's next launch, which had been tentatively set for June 29. SpaceX says the blast, caused by a pressurized tank failure, didn't injure anyone, but it's yet another setback in a rocky year for the company's ambitious mega-rocket program. That lossless feeling: Spotify's long-awaited lossless audio tier still hasn't launched, but fresh hints buried in the latest app code suggest that it's under active development and could be closer than ever. But with years of delays and no official timeline, fans might want to temper their excitement until Spotify confirms the rollout. I can Digg it: Digg's reboot has entered alpha testing with a fresh iOS app aimed at becoming an AI-era Reddit alternative. The app offers a clean, simple design with curated communities, AI-powered article summaries, and gamified features like 'Gems' and daily leaderboards. We want you: The U.S. Navy is speeding up how it works with startups, cutting red tape and zeroing in on real wins like saved time and better morale. Department of the Navy CTO Justin Fanelli says it's leading with problems, hunting for game-changing tech in AI, GPS, and system upgrades. And with Silicon Valley finally paying attention, the Navy's becoming a go-to partner for innovators ready to shake things up. Cash ain't king: Mark Zuckerberg is throwing out massive cash — up to $100 million — to lure top AI talent from OpenAI and DeepMind. But OpenAI's Sam Altman says none of his key people have bitten, praising his team's mission over money. Meanwhile, OpenAI keeps pushing ahead with new AI models and even hints at launching an AI-powered social app that could outpace Meta's own shaky attempts. San Francisco's latest startup saga? Cluely's after-party for YC's AI Startup School blew up on Twitter, drawing 2,000 party crashers, but it became the 'most legendary party that never happened' after getting shut down by cops before a single drink was spilled. Founder Roy Lee's viral marketing may have promised chaos, but the real party's waiting. Maybe once the weather warms up?

Week in Review: Meta reveals its Oakley smart glasses
Week in Review: Meta reveals its Oakley smart glasses

TechCrunch

time7 hours ago

  • TechCrunch

Week in Review: Meta reveals its Oakley smart glasses

Welcome back to Week in Review! Lots in store for you today, including Wix's latest acquisition, Meta's new smart glasses, a look at the new Digg, and much more. Have a great weekend! Smart specs: Meta and Oakley have teamed up on a new pair of smart glasses that can record 3K video, play music, handle calls, and respond to Meta AI prompts. They start at $399 and have double the battery life of Meta's Ray-Bans. A $499 limited-edition Oakley Meta HSTN model will be available starting July 11. Unicorn watch: Wix bought 6-month-old solo startup Base44 for $80 million in cash after it quickly gained traction as a no-code AI tool for building web apps. Created by a single founder and already profitable, Base44's rapid rise made scooping it up irresistible. Sand to the rescue: Finland just turned on the world's largest sand battery — yes, actual sand — which stores heat to help power the small town of Pornainen's heating system and cut its carbon emissions. The low-tech, low-cost system is built from discarded fireplace soapstone, is housed in a giant silo, and can store heat for weeks, proving you don't need fancy lithium to fight climate change. You just need a pile of hot rocks. This is TechCrunch's Week in Review, where we recap the week's biggest news. Want this delivered as a newsletter to your inbox every Saturday? Sign up here. News Image Credits:Rebecca Bellan We're back, baby: VanMoof is back from the brink with the S6, its first e-bike since bankruptcy — and it's sticking to its signature custom design, despite that being what nearly killed the company. Backed by McLaren tech and a beefed-up repair network, the new VanMoof promises smoother rides, smarter features, and (hopefully) fewer stranded cyclists. Space lasers: Baiju Bhatt, best known for co-founding Robinhood, is now building lasers in space. His new startup, Aetherflux, has raised $60 million to prove that beaming solar power from orbit isn't a fantasy, with a demo satellite set to launch next year and early backing from the Department of Defense. Techcrunch event Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW Oh no: One of SpaceX's Starship rockets exploded during a test in Texas, likely pushing back the vehicle's next launch, which had been tentatively set for June 29. SpaceX says the blast, caused by a pressurized tank failure, didn't injure anyone, but it's yet another setback in a rocky year for the company's ambitious mega-rocket program. That lossless feeling: Spotify's long-awaited lossless audio tier still hasn't launched, but fresh hints buried in the latest app code suggest that it's under active development and could be closer than ever. But with years of delays and no official timeline, fans might want to temper their excitement until Spotify confirms the rollout. I can Digg it: Digg's reboot has entered alpha testing with a fresh iOS app aimed at becoming an AI-era Reddit alternative. The app offers a clean, simple design with curated communities, AI-powered article summaries, and gamified features like 'Gems' and daily leaderboards. We want you: The U.S. Navy is speeding up how it works with startups, cutting red tape and zeroing in on real wins like saved time and better morale. Department of the Navy CTO Justin Fanelli says it's leading with problems, hunting for game-changing tech in AI, GPS, and system upgrades. And with Silicon Valley finally paying attention, the Navy's becoming a go-to partner for innovators ready to shake things up. Cash ain't king: Mark Zuckerberg is throwing out massive cash — up to $100 million — to lure top AI talent from OpenAI and DeepMind. But OpenAI's Sam Altman says none of his key people have bitten, praising his team's mission over money. Meanwhile, OpenAI keeps pushing ahead with new AI models and even hints at launching an AI-powered social app that could outpace Meta's own shaky attempts. Before you go Image Credits:Cluely San Francisco's latest startup saga? Cluely's after-party for YC's AI Startup School blew up on Twitter, drawing 2,000 party crashers, but it became the 'most legendary party that never happened' after getting shut down by cops before a single drink was spilled. Founder Roy Lee's viral marketing may have promised chaos, but the real party's waiting. Maybe once the weather warms up?

Meta Discussed Buying Perplexity Before Investing in Scale
Meta Discussed Buying Perplexity Before Investing in Scale

Yahoo

time7 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Meta Discussed Buying Perplexity Before Investing in Scale

(Bloomberg) -- Meta Platforms Inc. held discussions with artificial intelligence search startup Perplexity AI Inc. about a possible takeover before moving ahead with a multibillion-dollar investment in Scale AI, according to people familiar with the matter. Security Concerns Hit Some of the World's 'Most Livable Cities' One Architect's Quest to Save Mumbai's Heritage From Disappearing JFK AirTrain Cuts Fares 50% This Summer to Lure Riders Off Roads NYC Congestion Toll Cuts Manhattan Gridlock by 25%, RPA Reports Taser-Maker Axon Triggers a NIMBY Backlash in its Hometown The two companies couldn't come to an agreement and decided not to pursue the deal, said the people, who asked not to be named as the details of the talks aren't public. The financial terms under discussion could not be learned. Perplexity recently closed a new round of funding at a $14 billion valuation. Meta also attempted to hire Perplexity Chief Executive Officer Aravind Srinivas to join the social media company's new 'superintelligence' team, which is focused on building more powerful AI systems, the people said. The talks with Meta, which have not previously been reported, highlight Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's willingness to use deals and big hires to catch up in the AI race. The talks took place before Meta finalized a $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI that gives it a 49% stake in the data-labeling startup. Meta and Perplexity didn't respond to requests for comment. Founded in 2022, Perplexity has emerged as one of the most prominent startups using generative AI to rethink core internet services. Perplexity is taking on Alphabet Inc.'s Google by offering an AI tool that summarizes search results, lists citations for its answers and helps users refine their queries to get the best responses. The startup is also developing an AI-powered web browser. Frustrated with the pace of Meta's AI development, Zuckerberg is making a concerted push to poach top AI talent from across the industry with lucrative pay packages. Meta has succeeded in hiring Scale AI's former CEO Alexandr Wang, as well as top researchers from Google DeepMind and Sesame AI Inc. Not everyone is jumping to join Meta, however. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a podcast this week that some on his staff had been approached by Meta with offers of $100 million signing bonuses and even bigger compensation packages, but had declined to join the company. Meta has been in talks with former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman to recruit him to the new team, according to people familiar with the matter. The company has also been working on hiring Daniel Gross, the CEO of Safe Superintelligence, a research lab founded by former OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, the person said. Meta has also held early discussions for a computing deal in which Safe Superintelligence would use Meta's data center infrastructure, the person said. Representatives for Safe Superintelligence did not immediately respond to request for comment. Other Big Tech firms, including Google and Inc, have tried to establish themselves as the backbone of the AI ecosystem by providing chips and cloud computing resources to artificial intelligence startups. Meta has not gone this route to date. --With assistance from Julia Love. (Story updated with new details on Meta's hiring efforts starting in the third paragraph.) Luxury Counterfeiters Keep Outsmarting the Makers of $10,000 Handbags Ken Griffin on Trump, Harvard and Why Novice Investors Won't Beat the Pros Is Mark Cuban the Loudmouth Billionaire that Democrats Need for 2028? The US Has More Copper Than China But No Way to Refine All of It Can 'MAMUWT' Be to Musk What 'TACO' Is to Trump? ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store