Vita Coco has launched a public vending machine activation in New York City, following the conversations sparked by Poppi’s recent influencer marketing campaign. 

The coconut water company created a makeshift vending machine in Washington Square Park on Valentine’s Day, distributing approximately 600 free products to passersby.

The activation specifically promoted Vita Coco Treats, the company’s strawberries-and-cream beverage line introduced in mid-2024. 

A company spokesperson told Modern Retail that the initiative responded to “an emerging conversation on social media, where consumers were imploring brands to spend their money treating everyday consumers to just a fraction of perks that many influencers get to enjoy daily.”

A TikTok video documenting the event has garnered nearly five million views and 85,000 likes as of writing. While Vita Coco did not explicitly reference Poppi’s Super Bowl campaign, social media users quickly drew connections between the activations.

Poppi delivered more than 32 bright pink vending machines to selected content creators and WAGS as part of its “Soda Thoughts” campaign. The brand intended to create positive buzz ahead of its Super Bowl commercial but instead faced backlash. 

In response to the backlash, Poppi co-founder Allison Ellsworth addressed the controversy directly through TikTok, claiming that “misinformation was being spread out there by one of our competitors,” referring to Olipop, and outlining the company’s plans to expand the campaign’s reach.

Low-Cost Approach to Generate Engagement

Vita Coco CMO Jane Prior stated that the Valentine’s Day activation aligned with the brand’s mission for its Treats product line. 

“We created Vita Coco Treats specifically because we think everyone deserves a delicious guilt-free treat,” Prior told Modern Retail. “So when we saw an opportunity to surprise and delight everyday New Yorkers and capitalize on a consumer conversation on social, we knew we had to jump on it.”

The company constructed its “vending machine” using a utility cart dressed in pink fabric matching the Treats line’s branding, utilizing materials available in the Vita Coco office. On social media, the brand noted that the activation cost $25 to execute, alluding to Olipop’s comments that Poppi’s vending machine cost $25,000.

Industry competitors including Olipop and SmartSweets publicly supported Vita Coco’s approach in social media comments. 

Express Checkout newsletter author Nate Rosen characterized the activation as “smart because it lets another brand hop into the conversation and remind everyone, ‘Hey, we’re here, too!'” 

He noted the timing allowed Vita Coco to reference the Poppi controversy while maintaining relevance, particularly in a major market where consumers would understand the reference.