The encyclopedia · Advertising & PR · Marketing decision · 2025
Poppi sent 32 influencers personal vending machines — customers bought Olipop
Poppi sent custom pink vending machines to 32 influencers for the Super Bowl. Customers asked why the machines went to the wealthy, not to dorms or hospitals.
Poppi (VNG Beverage)
What happened
In early February 2025, ahead of its Super Bowl LIX ad, Poppi sent 32 custom pink vending machines filled with soda to influencers and creators including Jake Shane, Rachel Sullivan, and Kaeli Mae. The 'Soda Thoughts' activation was designed to generate social media buzz before the game-day spot.
The backlash was immediate. Consumers called the campaign 'out of touch' — extravagant gifts to already-wealthy influencers while regular customers received nothing. Commenters argued the machines should have gone to college dorms, hospitals, or nurses' stations. Competitor Olipop trolled Poppi in TikTok comments, claiming each machine cost $25,000 and writing '32 machines times $25K per machine yikes.'
Co-founder Allison Ellsworth posted a TikTok defending the campaign, denying the $25K figure as inflated by 60% and calling the machines a 'long-term investment.' She accused Olipop of 'bullying' and invited the community to nominate where machines should go next. The nomination programme — offered after the backlash — confirmed the original strategy had missed.
Why it happened
- The wealth gap was the message: sending personal vending machines to influencers who already have brand deals told customers their value was as spectators, not recipients.
- The Super Bowl timing amplified it: a campaign designed for buzz got buzz — but the buzz was about the brand's values, not its product.
- Olipop's trolling was the strategy: the competitor turned Poppi's misstep into free marketing — every comment about the vending machines was an ad for Olipop.
- The nomination fix was too late: offering to let customers nominate recipients after the backlash confirmed the original plan should have included them from the start.
The lesson
If your PR package is more extravagant than what your customers can afford, the audience will ask who the brand is for. A vending machine for an influencer is a billboard for the gap.
Sources
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