People are starting to take notice of Poppi, a vibrant gut health soda brand, thanks to its branded gifting and smart influencer partnerships. This astute marketing move shows how influential content creators are becoming more integrated with the brand, demonstrating a clever fusion of style and advertising.
Poppi x Coachella x TikTok Influencers
Alix Earle, a popular TikTok star, appeared at Coachella as part of the brand's creative partnership. Not only did Poppi arrange for Earle and her crew to have a luxurious stay, but it also made them unique neon green sweatsuits. The "Coachearlea" sweatsuits were more than just fashionable; they served as a walking advertisement. Poppi's own research shows that Earle's social media posts from "Casa Poppi" received an astounding amount of user engagement.
Poppi tactically gifted these colourful sweatsuits to influencers across TikTok and Instagram, targeting a brand insert in diversified content beyond usual beverage promotions. Some smart work with this method has paid off, as many of these influencers still appear in the video with the sweatsuit on and do not stop expanding the brand without direct promotion.
Poppi also cleverly used the festival to increase brand awareness by putting up billboard signs with their products. These strategically placed billboards not only captivated the festival-goers with cute advertising but also enhanced the overall exposure of the brand, aligning perfectly with the festive atmosphere and reaching a diverse, engaged audience. This innovative approach to marketing during such a high-profile event significantly amplified Poppi's presence and impact.
The Impact of Continuous Visibility
As a matter of fact, the sweatsuit—along with a bunch of other Poppi products—made multiple appearances in videos that ranged from everyday vlogging to unexpected uploads. Alix Earle further increased brand awareness by wearing Poppi gear in a podcast video a few days after the Coachella event. Thus, while the campaign's exposure did affect sales, the "Alix Earle effect," or the increase in consumer interest caused by influencer endorsements (even if they were not targeting Poppi specifically), was also crucial in boosting brand recognition. Among the widely acknowledged efficacy of influencer marketing strategies, this "product seeding" method stands out. Brands like Glossier and Chamberlain Coffee are capitalizing on this trend by offering branded merchandise to influencers and followers.
This, however, is a finesse game. The same study discovered that a large number of influencers do not actively promote the in-kind gifts they receive, and audiences occasionally view excessive gifting negatively.
Since Poppi implemented this marketing strategy, the brand's visibility and demand for sweatsuits have increased dramatically. Brands like Poppi trademark large portions of their products for social media contests so they can keep engaging their "loyal community members" and generating demand. This evolution indicates that the customer lives and loves the brand rather than selling it. The use of branded gifting combined with Coachella in Poppi's influencer marketing mix represents a much more actionable and multi-dimensional approach to brand development. This would not only make the brand more visible but also create a real interaction with the audience that would open up the brand to the possibilities of deeper brand integration into the lives of consumers. Poppi successfully incorporated itself into the way of life of well-known content creators thanks to this marketing move that brilliantly combines marketing and creativity.
