Poppi Hired Vice President of Culture

The soda brand appointed Sophia Sesto to lead its influencer marketing strategies.

Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Marketing

Soda brand Poppi has appointed Sophia Sesto as its new vice president of culture to oversee influencer marketing and brand growth strategies. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Poppi has hired Sophia Sesto as its new vice president of culture to oversee the brand's influencer marketing operations. The company maintains an always-on strategy that has driven significant social media engagement.

Why it matters

Poppi relies on organic influencer content to sustain brand relevance in a crowded market. This appointment aims to formalize a strategy that has already proven successful for the company's visibility.

Poppi was acquired by PepsiCo in 2025 for nearly $2 billion. Content created by influencers for the brand has generated more than 212 million views.

The players

Sophia Sesto

She serves as the vice president of culture at Poppi and leads the company's influencer marketing initiatives.

Amaya Espinal

She is a reality TV personality who collaborated with Poppi on a limited-edition flavor campaign.

Alix Earle

She is a prominent social media influencer who became an investor in Poppi in 2024.

PepsiCo

The multinational food and beverage corporation acquired the soda brand Poppi in 2025.

The details

The brand uses an internal Microsoft Teams channel called Seed to track creators and monitor social trends. Poppi sends products to influencers without specific instructions to ensure that the resulting social media content remains authentic and organic.

Alix Earle became an investor in Poppi in 2024.
PepsiCo acquired Poppi in 2025.
Poppi launched the Amaya's Island Colada flavor in October 2026.

Market Landscape

This executive hire underscores the transition of influencer marketing from a experimental tactic to a core corporate function. It positions the brand to capture more value within the broader $44 billion projected market spend for 2026.

Consumers can expect more coordinated influencer campaigns and limited-edition product drops similar to the Island Colada flavor. These efforts are designed to keep the brand prominent across social platforms and retail channels like Amazon and Target.

The takeaway

Brands are increasingly treating influencer relationships as essential infrastructure rather than occasional promotional tactics. This shift suggests that consistent social presence is now a primary driver of growth for modern beverage companies.