When I began seeing the push back against Poppi on social media, I was confused. It seems that people were upset with them for sending out vending machines to influencers ahead of the 2025 Super Bowl.
I agree with the critique that they could have been more inclusive in their selection of influencers. Inclusion from brands is a topic I have talked about on my podcast before.
But what I don’t agree with is the anger over them seeming “out-of-touch”.
Why is it “out-of-touch” for Poppi to send out temporary vending machines to influencers but not “out-of-touch” for Dunkin Donuts to pay Ben Affleck $10-million dollars for 30-seconds?
My theory: the internet hates female-founded brands that market to a primarily female demographic.
Poppi is a brand with a front-facing, female founder. Her name is Allison Ellsworth. Eventhough it was co-founded with her partner, Stephen, she is the one who often appears on camera and was even the face of their video response on TikTok as the controversy kicked up.
Olipop, Poppi’s biggest founder, began leaving comments in TikTok videos claiming the vending machines were $25,000. Something that was debunked by AdWeek and something Ellsworth disputes, as well. But because Olipop is founded by two men, no one is calling them “catty”, “jealous” or “bitchy” for spreading rumors about a competitor in TikTok comments. If a female-founded brand did that, there would be hell to pay.
As always, there is no right or wrong answer here. Keep it respectful in the discussions on Substack, as you always do.
And thank you for being a coconut! ❤️ 🥥
You can read my deep dive article about Poppi’s controversy on Substack here:
The Poppi Paradox: The curse of being too good at marketing
If you are reading this article then you have most likely heard of the drama going on with Poppi. But no matter how much I hear online, I am still more confused and left with more questions than answers every time I read a new article.
“Ahead of the Curve with Coco Mocoe” is a marketing podcast that covers internet and pop culture but from a branding angle. Coco Mocoe is a trend forecaster and marketing expert who loves diving deep into why things go viral on the internet and how you can apply that to your own brand or creator journey.
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