First, you may ask what a “Stanley Cup” is. Well, in this article, I will be explaining what it is and how they have become popular now.
What are Stanley cups?
Stanley cups, or “Stanleys,” are a brand of reusable water bottles that come in various colors, designs, and sizes. While the brand carries traditional water bottles, the most popular version is “The Quencher H2.0 ” line, a drink tumbler with a straw and handles in 14-ounce through 64-ounce versions.
The Stanley brand has been around for over 100 years but historically focused on working-class, outdoorsy types as customers. They have primarily advertised their products for people who love camping and hiking or work manual jobs such as construction workers.
Traditionally marketed towards men with an iconic green color (that went on an iconic green tumbler,) the brand has opened up to female consumers in recent years, social media influencers, and teenagers interested in purchasing its products.
When did Stanleys become popular?
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Originally, Stanley produced simple reusable water bottles that were successful among blue-collar workers and outdoorspeople. It was only in 2016 that it launched the Tumblers, now known as the Quench line, though they were not very popular upon release, according to CNBC.
In 2020, Crocs executive Terence Reilly left the shoe company and became the president of Stanley, where he soon leaned into social media and influencer marketing to boost sales of the new line, which became the best-selling bottle the same year, reported CNBC.
Now, #Stanleycup has over 6 billion views on TikTok, the platform on which the cups have become most popular. However, some videos are also about the National Hockey League’s trophy. Just #Stanley boasts a view count of over 2 billion.
How Stanley cups became a consumer craze
Stanley’s boost in sales has been primarily catalyzed by Gen Z and online social media influences, Jenna Drenten, an associate professor of marketing at Loyola University Chicago.
Stanley saw the potential value in this type of brand recognition when it began gaining traction a few years ago and decided to move with the trend and shift its marketing strategy, said Drenten.
“It created tumblers in new limited edition colors, creating scarcity and novelty. It partnered with influencers and leveraged existing online chatter,” she said. “It moved the product from something useful to something aspirational. But all of this was done without compromising the quality of the product.”
