If you haven’t heard the news or seen the viral videos, there’s a new hydration product that’s all the rage. The Stanley Quencher cup craze is still going strong in Quarter 1 as shoppers waited for hours in the cold outside Target stores for the latest exclusive special edition of the viral tumbler.
The latest “Stanley + Starbucks” collaboration hit the shelves Wednesday to a deluge of crazed fans looking to get their hands on the limited edition pink-colored 40-ounce quencher. And many of those limited tumblers have already appeared on eBay and Etsy for more than triple the retail price. Some resale prices have been as high as almost $500.
TikTok only further added to the craze. Posts on their platform gained millions of views as people rush to grab the Quencher tumbler (or multiple) before others and others waiting in front of Targets nationwide. Currently, Target is the only place the tumbler is available across the country.
@melindamua I never waited for something ever! I loved this collection i cant wait to use them! #target #stanleytumbler #stanley #stanleyvalentinesday #pink #cup #targetstanley #hellokitty #valentinesday #targethaul #targetfinds #stanleycup ♬ Feather - Sped Up - Sabrina Carpenter
Stanley Company History + TikTok
Stanley is not even remotely a new company. The organization has been assisting individuals in maintaining the temperature of chilly beverages at a cold temperature and warm beverages at a warm temperature for over a century.
The company was established in 1913 by William Stanley Jr., an inventor who created and patented the all-steel vacuum bottle by fusing vacuum insulation and the strength of steel into a single portable bottle. You may have seen at some point in your life older models stored away in the garage of a relative or on a shelf at a thrift store.
Stanley has garnered recognition for manufacturing these items for more than a century. Pilots of the Second World War loaded Stanleys onto aircraft. Stanleys were long affiliated with outdoor enthusiasts and blue-collar laborers.
A viral spike of this product was heavily influenced by TikTok. Stanley Quenchers priced at $40 have become so popular in recent years that the company has produced limited edition models that are flying off the shelves.
Stanley’s large, vibrant and bold colored reusable water bottles have a cult following on TikTok. The company generates millions of dollars through consumer unboxings, product reviews, and videos of customers rushing to buy the newest cups in stores.
The company experienced an increase in revenue as a result of the TikTok mania.
According to CNBC, Stanley’s revenue increased substantially from $74 million in 2019 to $750 million in 2023, primarily due to the Quencher line’s social media success.
Delivering Durability AND Keeping Up With The Times
The original Stanley thermos was neither as colorful nor as functional as the Quencher line of today.
Previously a simple green thermos, Stanley products are now available in an extensive variety of sizes, shapes, and hues; these details have gained notoriety through TikTok videos featuring individuals unwrapping new hues, customizing the tumblers, and utilizing them as accessories.
How’d This Stanley Quencher Craze Happened Though?
Typically a craze like this doesn’t happen overnight. In 2016, Stanley introduced Quenchers. It was available in 14–64 fluid-ounce capacities with a reusable straw and large side handles. It cost $20–$60. They were in no way particularly popular when they first debuted. In 2019 sales were lackluster at best, thus Stanley stopped making the product.
However, Stanley realized the Quencher’s performance was very popular on the Buy Guide, a women-centric e-commerce blog and Instagram page. The tested the market by directly selling 10,000 Quenchers to its subscribers, as opposed to restocking Quenchers on its own website.
Within four days, The Buy Guide reportedly sold 5,000 cups. When they restocked 5,000 more, they were all sold within an hour. As a result, Stanley has decided to not only re-establish the sale of the cups on its own official website in 2020 but also maintain collaborations with The Buy Guide and other prominent figures in the women’s lifestyle sector.
Stanley Quencher Marketing Collabs
A huge part of Stanley’s sales centered around limited-edition collaborations. In May 2020, while Stanley was collaborating with influencers such as The Buy Guide, it also appointed Terence Reilly as its new president. Prior to joining Stanley, Reilly spent seven years as the chief marketing officer of Crocs, where he assisted in the brand’s reinvention as a popular footwear label. Similar to Crocs, Reilly has employed limited releases and collaborations to cultivate a collector’s community around the product.
Stanley has released Quencher collaborations with cosmetic brands such as Olay and celebrities including Lainey Wilson since 2019. The reason why Quenchers that are made available at Target are so highly anticipated is because the megastore chain has been the sole retail partner on a significant number of these collaborations. Since 2019, Stanley’s annual revenue has increased, per MSNBC. From $94 million in 2020 to $194 million in 2021, and then back to $402 million in 2022, it doubled.
Staying Viral + Current Culture Consumers
In November 2023 a woman posted a video of a fire that destroyed her vehicle completely. The only item to survive the fire was a 40oz Stanley cup. Stanley and their president Terence Reilly jumped on the opportunity to replace her tumbler, give a couple of new ones, and do something no one expected. They replaced her entire vehicle. The video went viral and amassed tens of millions of views.
Stanley Quenchers is a perfect example of a product that fits that bill for the current culture consumer. Women and GenZ consumers are obsessed with a healthier lifestyle and hydration. And if Stanley is smart, they’ll listen and adapt to their needs.
@danimarielettering Thirsty after you catch on fire? @Stanley 1913 is like no problem i gotchu #fyp #carfire #accident #stanleycup ♬ original sound - Danielle
