HOPWTR Mimics Poppi’s Aesthetic in a Hilarious April Fool’s Stunt
April Fool’s Day is here and it is a time when brands want to stand out with parody announcements or do something on social media to get them talking.
One brand that has garnered attention is HOPWTR. This company not only adopted the visual style and aesthetic of the well-established Poppi brand, particularly through its striking Ruby Red Grapefruit color, but it is also undertaking a name change to “Hoppi” as part of its April Fool’s Day marketing initiative. This creative approach not only adds a humorous element but also emphasizes the brand’s relationship with its popular counterpart.
The brand announced today on its social media platforms, Instagram and TikTok, that after the recent news of ‘big soda’ acquiring better-for-you beverages, HOPWTR aims to keep up with the changing times. They want to provide both their customers and ‘big soda’ with what they really desire.
HOPWTR isn’t sending influencers actual vending machines for April Fools Day, unlike Poppi’s Super Bowl stunt, which sparked major controversy. However, the brand does enjoy sharing its hoppy water with creators and ambassadors across music, sports, and lifestyle spaces. HOPWTR collaborated with UFC legend Dustin Poirier to develop its Ruby Red Grapefruit flavor and is always seeking wellness-minded partners, from micro to macro creators, to help spread the word.
According to Ryan Haggerty, HOPWTR’s VP of Marketing and Innovation, the team aimed to have fun with the aesthetics for their April Fools campaign. They noted that brands in the non-alcoholic and better-for-you sectors possess strong, instantly recognizable branding, which provided a playful foundation for their initiative. The goal was to create something relevant and humorous for their audience during the holiday, especially since PepsiCo recently acquired Poppi.
“Non-alc and better-for-you beverages have been on fire and we’ve all been keeping up with the viral industry news so we wanted to riff on that,” said Haggerty. “We thought this ‘rebrand’ was a clever way to poke fun at the industry and highlight our brand as the leading hoppy, or should we say ‘hoppi’ water on the market.”
The team at HOPWTR is constantly exploring ways to engage with their audience on social media, particularly on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. HOPWTR drinkers span various ages and genders, so they strive to be active on both platforms to connect with their Millennial and Gen Z fans.
Haggerty said the potential TikTok ban in the United States sparked internal discussions about their social media strategy in the event that the app was permanently shut down, but fortunately, the issue was only temporary. Moving forward, HOPWTR will stay ahead of social trends and platforms, ensuring they connect with consumers on the apps where they are most engaged, whether those apps are widely known or emerging.
Since PepsiCo announced its acquisition of Poppi for nearly $2 billion, the soda brand’s Instagram engagement has surged by 93%, according to social analytics platform Metricool. In contrast, rival brand Olipop saw its Instagram engagement drop by 63% in the same week. However, while Poppi dominates Instagram, Olipop is stepping up its presence on TikTok with creative content, aiming to match the high level of consumer participation that has fueled Poppi’s success.
As of 2025, HOPWTR’s social engagement on Instagram has increased by 8.25% over the past three months, according to Metricool. The brand has experienced a significant 55% growth in likes and a 9% rise in comments, indicating a steady improvement in audience interaction. The top-performing posts include the LA Wildfires post, which achieved an engagement rate of 0.59, followed closely by the HOPdoddy collaboration at 0.54, and another LA Wildfires donation post at 0.45.
