What the Super Bowl Taught Me (as a CPG Founder) About Poppi, Taylor Swift Fans, and Aligning with Celebrities

What the Super Bowl Taught Me (as a CPG Founder) About Poppi, Taylor Swift Fans, and Aligning with Celebrities

Poppi’s Super Bowl-Sized Controversy

You know how every brand starts off with that we’re here for the people energy? The grassroots hustle. The underdog story. The female-founded, community-driven we’re all in this together marketing? That was Poppi.

Then came the Super Bowl, and with it, a scandal that had OG Poppi fans throwing their probiotic sodas in the actual trash.

Here’s the TL;DR: Poppi, a brand that was once all about supporting female founders and community-driven growth, is now being accused of selling out. Not because they got big—but because of how they got big.

💰 The brand sent $25,000 vending machines to influencers.
😬 Loyal fans (the ones who built the brand from the ground up) felt abandoned.
🤯 Then we found out Alix Earle—one of their key influencers—is actually an investor in the company.

Oof.

Wait… Alix Earle Isn’t Just Promoting Poppi, She’s Invested In It?

Here’s where things get messy. Influencer endorsements are one thing. We all know that brands throw money at content creators in hopes of making their product look like the next must-have. But when the influencer isn’t just endorsing the product but actually invested in the company? That changes the game. It’s no longer Oh, Alix Earle loves this soda!—it’s Oh, Alix Earle has a financial incentive to make you love this soda.

Transparency matters. Consumers want to know: Are you actually obsessed with this brand, or are you strategically cashing in?

Poppi’s mistake wasn’t sending vending machines to influencers—it was forgetting who got them there in the first place.

(Also, fun fact: I went to college with Alix Earle’s parents. There’s a non-zero chance I’ve had a late-night burger or two with her dad. Small world, huh?)

And Then There’s Taylor Swift…

Another thing that happened at the Super Bowl? Taylor Swift got booed.

This was shocking to a lot of people because, let’s be honest, Taylor Swift has had an iron-clad grip on public favor for over a decade. Some say the boos were because of her association with the Chiefs. Others say it was political. Some even point to the ongoing Blake Lively drama (which is another rabbit hole altogether).

Whatever the reason, the fact that it happened at all is what’s worth analyzing.

I’ve been saying for a while now that America is moving away from celebrity worship. The shift is happening in real-time, and if you point it out (as I did on TikTok), people will lose their minds.

Case in point: I made a simple comment about how the sentiment toward celebrities is shifting—and was met with absolute vitriol from Swifties (many of whom are middle-aged women, defending her like she’s their lifelong best friend).

And that’s when it hit me:

Consumers Interpret Information Based on Their Level of Awareness 

If you’re aware of how the game works, you see things differently. You recognize when a marketing move is a strategy vs. a genuine connection. But if you’re still in the mindset that your favorite celebrities and influencers are just like us—you won’t even realize the strings being pulled behind the scenes.

This applies to Poppi. It applies to Taylor Swift. It applies to every brand trying to use celebrity influence to stay relevant.

The Real Lesson for CPG Brands? Read the Room.

There was a time when aligning with a major influencer or celebrity guaranteed trust. Not anymore. Consumers are more skeptical, more observant, and more aware of the machine.

What Poppi Should Have Done Instead:

✔️ Kept their original supporters engaged. There’s a way to scale without alienating your core audience.
✔️ Been transparent about influencer-investor relationships. Consumers aren’t stupid—just tell them the truth.
✔️ Built a movement, not just a marketing stunt. People don’t want to feel like they’re part of a sales funnel. They want to feel like they’re part of something bigger.

Final Thoughts: The Mom Bomb Difference

At Mom Bomb, we believe in building from the inside out. Our mission isn’t about chasing celebrity endorsements—it’s about creating something that actually improves the lives of moms.

We don’t throw money at influencers—we throw support behind real women who need it. And that’s a strategy that never goes out of style.

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