The Poppi Soda Controversy Is Bubbling Over. Here's All The Tea

Poppi has come under fire recently after a huge day for them on February 9 with its 2nd annual appearance in a Super Bowl advertisement. While the advertisement itself didn't go over quite as well as others — such as Stella Artois' fun commercial featuring David Beckham and his "twin" Matt Damon — it was actually a different marketing tactic that caused problems for the prebiotic soda brand. Poppi sent several influencers Poppi-branded touchscreen vending machines alongside several packages of Poppi cans to fill them with.

These extravagant vending machines were then highlighted on the influencers' social media pages, most notably on TikTok. In the end, the marketing move backfired, with many users on TikTok feeling that sending the vending machines to individual influencers — instead of to hospitals, teachers lounges, or other common areas — was excessive, out of touch, and generally quite lame. This pushback was then furthered when one of Poppi's most notable competitors in the prebiotic soda game, Olipop (which you likely know as the only soda that can currently be found at Starbucks), commented on a TikTok post claiming that the vending machines cost $25,000; cultivating even more negative feelings on the internet towards the brand.

Poppi did eventually release a statement on its TikTok account, clarifying that the vending machines did not cost $25,000 as Olipop suggested while also noting that the campaign was merely meant to coincide with the release of its Super Bowl commercial — the machines were intended to be used for Super Bowl parties that the influencers were throwing at their homes. However, the damage was already done by the time the company's statement and further explanation were released, with many people online swearing their allegiance to Olipop as a result of Poppi's influencer-centric marketing.

While Poppi's campaign ultimately led many to side with Olipop rather than the company, others weren't as quick to write off the controversial soda brand. In fact, many question what the big deal was concerning the visceral reaction campaign, while others stated that the marketing fumble wouldn't be enough to stop them from enjoying what they consider to be the superior prebiotic soda brand in Poppi. Furthermore, the question of whether or not prebiotic drinks actually do anything for your health applies to both Olipop and Poppi, both of which have put the health benefits of their drinks at the forefront of their marketing.