Poppi, the sparkling prebiotic soda brand, has been steadily gaining popularity since its rebranding and relaunch in 2020. Poppi has become a favorite among influencers and health-conscious consumers with its promise of gut health in a can and a trendy, wellness-oriented aesthetic.
Originally, known as Mother Beverage, the company underwent a major rebrand after a lack of brand recognition, limited consumer appeal due to the drink’s strong vinegar flavor, and difficulty standing out in a crowded beverage market dominated by traditional sodas and sparkling waters. After their appearance on Shark Tank in 2018, they were able to recraft a narrative that balanced “health benefits” with a fun, approachable image.
However, as the company rolled out its highly anticipated Super Bowl marketing campaign, Poppi has found itself at the center of controversy. The focal point of the backlash? Their “Poppi vending machines,” a stunt that has been called “extremely distasteful” for glamorizing “extravagant wealth” and exclusivity, make the brand feel out of touch with its audience.
This stunt isn’t the only distasteful marketing ploy they’ve pulled for the Super Bowl. While the controversial vending machines have been making the most buzz on the internet, there is a shocking lack of talk about their new commercials. Particularly the “Soda Thoughts Diner” commercial, which depicts a young woman contemplating ordering a soda, who “doesn’t want to be like the only someone to order a soda. Embarrassing.”
This behavior, while framed humorously in the ad, reinforces the harmful notion that enjoying something as simple as a soda is a shameful act, particularly for women. It perpetuates the toxic idea that food and drink choices should be made based on societal judgment rather than personal preference, feeding into a culture where guilt and embarrassment dictate our decisions. Poppi has prided itself on being genuine and its quest to be relatable…but has this crossed a line into something far more damaging?
While the brand has always promoted itself as genuine through its marketing and production design, its message has started to contradict this entirely. The company calls itself “soda without the baggage,” a phrase that is somewhat light-hearted and can sound like a relatable idea.
However, upon closer inspection, this slogan reflects a troubling narrative. It doesn’t come across as a brand that genuinely cares about its consumers’ well-being when it actively capitalizes on toxic diet culture. Instead, it reinforces harmful ideas about guilt and shame surrounding food and drink choices, cloaked in the guise of promoting wellness.
In other commercials, Poppi has leaned into similarly problematic narratives, with lines like “Stop spiraling, get a Poppi” and “Soda is like only something you drink on the weekends.” Normalizing this kind of internalized pressure in mainstream advertising is not only problematic but also potentially harmful, as it trivializes the struggles of those navigating unhealthy relationships with food and body image.
While some might argue that the subtlety of this messaging in their marketing is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, it has the opposite effect. Its understated nature allows these harmful ideas to seep into consumers’ minds unnoticed, normalizing toxic behaviors and reinforcing societal pressures under a facade of wellness.
While the brand claims to offer “soda without the baggage,” it’s this very messaging that contributes to creating “baggage” around the idea of drinking soda, reinforcing the overall guilt and shame it purports to reject. As consumers, it’s crucial to critically evaluate the brands we support and the messages they promote, especially with brands whose messaging reaches a wide demographic and age range.
Wellness should be about making choices that genuinely benefit your health, not ones dictated by societal pressures or marketing campaigns that capitalize on insecurities. At the end of the day, if you want a soda, drink one. It shouldn’t come with guilt, judgment, or, as Poppi calls it, “baggage.”
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