Written By: Jonathan Viene, Staff Writer
VIRAL: The 40 ounce Stanley Tumbler has become one of the quickest-selling products these past few months.
Whether it be in the hands of your classmates or on the screens of your TikTok “For You” page, you have most likely seen the Stanley Cup. This widely adored insulated cup has become almost ubiquitous at Poly over the past year—but why?
The cup itself, upon first glance, may not be all that awe-inspiring. It’s no HydroFlask, which also experienced a similar virality just a few years ago; in fact, it’s quite different. Instead of following the traditional “water bottle” design of the HydroFlask, it’s large, clumsy, features a handle with a straw, and was almost discontinued. That is, until Stanley’s sales soared from $75 million in 2020 to $750 million in 2023 primarily due to the success of its Quencher Tumbler. What changed?
To investigate the origins of Stanley’s meteoric rise over the past two years, I asked a local marketing and social media professional, Michelle Gifford. An owner of two Stanley water bottles herself, she explained that it was quite simple: Stanley changed their demographic.
For over 100 years, Stanley had existed primarily as a camping goods brand, appealing mostly to the outdoors-oriented and male workforce. It wasn’t until 2019, when the Stanley tumbler was nearly taken off shelves, that an online product-reviewing account, The Buy Guide, promoted the Stanley tumbler and caused a surge in popularity. Seeing an opportunity, the women at The Buy Guide took a gamble: they bought ten-thousand Stanley tumblers wholesale—and sold them all in days. They convinced Stanley to bring back the Stanley Tumbler—but this time, with colors and a craze.
This marketing shift, as Mrs. Gifford explains, combined with a large influencer campaign, cemented the Stanley mainstay presence in the water bottle business. Instead of scenes of men outdoors or in the workplace, Stanley’s advertising now prominently featured “a mom, in yoga pants, with her daughter, both holding Stanley cups.” And it was this influx of “fun colors,” and those features—the large capacity, handle, straw, and unique shape, allowing it to fit in the cup holder of your car—that made the cup so sought-after by women. “Getting the right product in front of the right people,” according to Mrs. Gifford, is key to a product’s success.
But not everyone feels so strongly about the cup. One student claimed that they did not own nor want to own a Stanley Cup because they “did not want to be basic.” Some insulated-bottle owners at Poly have turned to Stanley alternatives, especially such as the Owala, which mimics the Stanley’s wide variety of visually popping color patterns and convenient design. Another student, an owner of both brands, preferred Owala’s bottles, simply because they “didn’t spill” as you sipped.
Despite these occasional clamors, the tumbler has proven to be consumers’ top choice. In the always-developing race to perfect the insulated bottle, one thing is clear: Stanley is here to stay.