Poppi’s Vending Machines Go “Viral” For All The Wrong Reasons
If you’re anything like me, you love a little internet drama—especially when brands are at the center of it. It’s not that I want businesses to crash and burn (honestly, as a social media manager, that kind of chaos gives me secondhand anxiety). But there’s something oddly reassuring about seeing even the biggest brands fumble. Social media marketing is the wild west, after all—sometimes, even the sheriffs get it wrong.
And the latest victim of social media wrongdoing? Beloved prebiotic soda brand, Poppi.
Once celebrated for its community-driven presence on TikTok, Poppi has recently doubled down on influencer marketing. Their latest stunt? Sending custom vending machines stocked with their drinks to high-profile creators like Kaeli Mae. But instead of winning over the internet, the move sparked backlash.
Before we dive into the drama (and the other brand that decided to jump into the squabble), let’s go over the basics.
Who is Poppi?
Poppi, which touts itself as “the future of soda,” actually got its start under a different name—Mother Beverage. If you’re a Shark Tank fan, you might remember the Austin-based company landing a deal with guest investor Rohan Oza in 2018. While the other sharks were skeptical, they were quickly proven wrong—Mother Beverage, soon rebranded as Poppi, skyrocketed past $100 million in sales by the end of 2023.
The brand’s colorful cans and playful messaging promise to “bring back the joy of soda”—minus the guilt. Their website proudly states, “Get all the soda feels with 5g sugar, ingredients you can love, and prebiotics. Remember: cravings aren’t a crime, people! It’s time to love soda again.”
With this rallying cry, Poppi’s social media team quickly built a thriving community, using giveaways, shoutouts, and reposts to engage with creators of all sizes. Their grassroots approach made them feel accessible and cool—a brand that wasn’t just selling soda but building a movement.
But as Poppi has grown, so has its marketing budget. Over the last year, the brand has leaned heavily into influencer-driven campaigns, celebrity partnerships, and big-budget activations. Scroll through their TikTok, and you’ll find collabs with Post Malone, exclusive merch drops at Target, and even a Super Bowl ad. (Remember that last one—we’ll come back to it.)
They Spent HOW MUCH On Vending Machines?!
That brings us to the internet controversy currently brewing around Poppi. In early February, the brand sent custom vending machines—fully stocked with their drinks and covered in Poppi branding—to 32 TikTok influencers. Installed right in their homes, the influencers wasted no time posting about them, with videos like “POV: You remember you have a Poppi vending machine in your garage.”
At first, the stunt was eye-catching, and many praised it as a clever marketing move. But when the truth came out, the internet wasn’t as impressed.
Rival prebiotic soda brand Olipop quickly jumped in, launching a commenting spree that exposed the vending machines’ staggering price tag—over $25,000 each. If you’re doing the math, that’s a cool $800,000 spent on vending machines alone (not counting whatever Poppi paid these influencers to post).
That’s when the backlash started. Response videos and comment sections filled with criticism: Why only send them to multimillion-follower creators? Why not place them on college campuses, in hospital break rooms, or community centers—places where people could actually benefit? Instead, nearly a million dollars had been poured into a stunt that catered to the already rich and influential. And people weren’t shy about calling it out.
Over on Instagram, some users are claiming that Poppi is scrubbing any and all negative comments from their posts. I haven’t been able to confirm that myself, but one thing is clear—the brand has been suspiciously quiet. They haven’t shared any of their own content about the vending machines, nor have they reposted influencer videos featuring them. For a stunt that reportedly cost close to a million dollars, you’d think they’d be proud enough to back it on their own channels.
In fact, Poppi quickly shifted all their social media focus to supporting their first big Super Bowl ad (told you we’d come back to that). The ad features comedian Jake Shane, influencer Alix Earle, and Love Island USA star Rob Rausch. While the commercial itself is well-produced, the timing of this celebrity-packed, high-budget campaign feels a bit off. For a brand in the midst of controversy over an $800,000 influencer stunt, doubling down on more big-name endorsements seems... less than ideal.
A Lesson To Learn
Let’s take a step back for a moment. Everyone makes mistakes. While I would have loved to see Poppi use their resources in a more impactful way, I don’t think there was any malice behind their plan. Sure, it missed the mark, but they’ll learn—and so can we.
So, what can marketers take away from this? Here are a few key lessons:
Balance creativity with responsibility: Bold, creative ideas can grab attention, but they should still align with your brand’s mission and values. Poppi’s stunt was eye-catching but ultimately didn’t feel responsible in terms of the impact it could have had.
Test the waters before diving in: Big marketing moves should be tested before you go all in. Poppi’s high-budget vending machine stunt could have benefited from a smaller-scale pilot program to see how their audience reacted.
Leverage your own platform: If you invest in something significant, like Poppi did with the vending machines, make sure you’re amplifying the content through your own channels. If you’re not confident enough in the value of the campaign to post it on your own feed, why should anyone else be?
Context is everything: While Poppi’s Super Bowl ad and influencer campaigns might seem like smart ways to raise awareness, the timing of these launches can make or break a campaign. If your brand is already under fire, consider holding off on high-cost promotions and focus on rebuilding trust with your audience first.
Seize the opportunity to engage: Keep an eye on your competitors and smartly choose when your brand can benefit from their stumbles. While Olipop’s decision to insert themselves into Poppi’s mistake could have backfired, it didn’t—because it was fueled by genuine care for the community and the reactions they were already seeing.
Learn to pivot: Marketing truly is the wild west, constantly changing and never predictable. Poppi’s shift from community-building to celebrity-driven content was a pivot that didn’t land well. Knowing where to change and where to stay true to your roots is key to growing your brand without losing your core audience.