Alex Tisdale 
Poppi brand is under fire/Photo credit: Unsplash
Poppi, the popular alternative soda brand, has received backlash after its latest marketing campaign sent influencers full-sized hot pink vending machines to their homes.
For this year’s Super Bowl commercial, the beverage company sent giant vending machines with soda cases to influencers. Even though the influencers were chosen to have these vending machines for a limited time, fans wondered why this was shared only with influencers and not the general public.
Many fans called it “out of touch” because people earning thousands of dollars were sent free gifts regularly. People also felt that the vending machines should have gone to places in need, such as hospitals and schools. One TikTok user, Jade Jarvis, was very vocal.
“At what point does it seem like the rich are giving to the rich? How about you donate the Poppi vending machine to a Title One school or put it in a good desert where people can’t afford Poppi?” Jarvis said.
Another viral Tiktoker named Saliawaymedia said, “People have been tolerating this kind of flashy PR from brands less and less. Times are tough economically, and many people can’t even afford to drink Poppi at all, and they have to watch wealthy influencers flaunt this online. They could have done this so much better. Think less about brand trips for influencers and more about how you can show up for the everyday average Joe.”
Both call-out videos have gone viral, with Saliaway’s video getting 2.6 million views on social media.
For years, Poppi has relied on influencers to promote its brand through Super Bowl commercials. One features the brand’s investor, Alix Earle, and other influencers, Jake Shane and Robert Rausch.
Due to the backlash, Poppi’s co-founder Allison Ellsworth posted to TikTok from their brand’s page to address everything.
“This vending machine campaign was put in place to bring awareness to the biggest soda moment of the year, the Super Bowl,” Ellsworth said. “We planned to share Poppi across the U.S. with creatives hosting Super Bowl parties for their friends and families.”
She also stated that the company intended to bring vending machines to more events.
“These vending machines will be part of the brand for years to come, and we want to work with you guys to get them to places where you’d like to see them out in the world,” Ellsworth said.
Afterward, people still didn’t take her explanation too kindly.
“Enough with the influencers. I have asked to try Poppi and haven’t even been able to for free,” one Tiktoker wrote in the comments below the video.
“Ok, but why wasn’t this the plan from the start? I worked with a brand that did something similar with vending machines and shopping plus logistics ten years ago, and it easily was a $1 million campaign,” another commenter wrote.
Due to the heavy backlash, influencers are being asked to return the machines to the company.
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