At the beginning of February 2025, the health-branded soda company Poppi launched a viral marketing campaign that quickly captured social media’s attention.
The company placed bright pink Poppi-themed vending machines in the homes of influencers, filled with their soda products. Influencers began sharing their machines with the internet, showcasing the variety of Poppi drinks inside.
Some social media users claimed that the marketing stunt was wasteful, arguing that the money spent on this campaign could have been put to better use than gifting rich influencers with more material goods. Others expressed frustration that the vending machines were not made available to the general public, reinforcing the divide between influencers and everyday consumers.
It was later revealed that the vending machines were only temporary. Days after the delivery, Poppi removed the machines from influencers’ homes, making it clear that the setup was a short-term publicity stunt rather than a permanent gift. This revelation left both influencers and followers confused and, in some cases, upset.
“It was wasteful because that money could have been put toward different forms of advertisement,” said Camryn Flisser, a freshman finance major.
Critics argued that Poppi could have used a different approach that allowed more consumers to engage with the brand directly. Some suggested that the vending machines should have been placed in public locations where anyone could try the product instead of being reserved for influencers with already high access to brand deals.
Poppi’s founder, Allison Ellsworth, addressed the backlash in a video posted to Poppi’s TikTok account, stating that the situation had been misinterpreted. She also accused OLIPOP, a competing soda brand, of spreading false rumors to fuel the controversy.
“This vending machine campaign was put in place to bring awareness to the biggest soda moment of the year, The Super Bowl,” Ellsworth explained. “We wanted to share Poppi with creators across the U.S. who were hosting Super Bowl parties for their friends and their family.”
Many social media users were unhappy with her explanation, expressing their frustration and stating that they plan to switch to OLIPOP soda instead. However, not everyone was fazed by the controversy.
“A stunt like this would not make me choose a different soda,” Flisser said. “ I feel like it is not a big enough controversy to make a difference if it were my favorite soda.”
OLIPOP has spread inaccurate information all over social media about the Poppi situation. In one comment, they claimed that Poppi was spending $25,000 per vending machine and the majority of the public believed it.
Ellsworth assured viewers that the campaign did not cost that much in her TikTok video posted to the official Poppi account.
“The falsely reported number was not only fabricated but inflated by 60%,” said a Poppi spokesperson when interviewed by TODAY.com.
Addison Townsend, a freshman photography major, expressed her opinion that Poppi had an interesting idea and a strong marketing strategy, but it fell flat when they decided to take the vending machines back from the influencers.
“It is very wasteful due to the cost, environmental impact and purpose to their mission,” Townsend said.
Ellsworth claims that the vending machines are owned by Poppi and were always intended to be used for various events and giveaways, not just for social media influencers. This approach would prevent them from being wasteful as single-use installations.
While some consumers felt misled, there is no denying that Poppi successfully achieved its goal of making an impact online. The controversy brought massive attention to the brand, proving that even negative press can keep a company in the spotlight.