The Stanley cup has been a strong force for nearly 100 years. However, with its recent rise in popularity, especially among young women across the U.S., many wonder where the company has been and why they haven’t discovered it sooner. Many would be surprised to know that the Stanley cup was originally targeted towards an all-American male audience. As such, the oldest marketing ads depict a wooded setting with men fishing, creating a stereotypically masculine image. Ironically, this is the exact opposite of what Stanleys are known for today, but the brand did not change overnight.
In 2019, Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC) announced that Ashley LeSueur bought a mass amount of the now-famous water bottles from Stanley, now known as the Quencher. After buying nearly 5,000 water bottles, LeSueur added them to her store The Buy Guide to sell to her customers. At the time, the former Chief Marketing Officer of Crocs, Terrence Rilley, had recently become president of Stanley. Upon entering his new position, Rilley saw LeSueur’s approach to marketing the cups and immediately added her to the team. In a chain reaction of events, she then turned the Stanley cup into what it is today.
With that being said, the Stanley cup is not just a water bottle. Experts across the U.S. are looking at the Stanley cup in amazement at its rebranding and brilliant marketing plan. Psychologist Matt Johnson, who specializes in consumerism, recently explained in the January 2024 issue of Teen Vogue that, “Water bottles have a particular way of signaling that you are caring for yourself and that you’re up on wellness trends – something very popular on social media.” This small piece of information confirms what the masses already know: trends control what people are buying. However, the Stanley is doing something undefinable that is going beyond sticking with the trends, so much so that Forbes commented, “The hashtag #StanleyTumbler has generated over one billion views.” That is a massive number for a single product on just one social media platform, let alone all other forms of content.
But with every rise, comes a great fall. Many question whether Stanley has reached its peak. Much like previous years in 2019 and 2020, the Hydroflask was a water bottle with a similar popularity trend. But where the Stanley company is over 100 years old, Hydroflask has been a company for only 15 years. Although Stanleys and Hydroflasks share something in common, as people would often refer to them as the next big trend, Stanleys are something different. Stanley adds value to their product, not only by being current, but also by being functional.
When the company was rising in popularity, the cups prided themselves on the narrow bottom of the cup and the wider circumference, allowing for more of a beverage with a cup holder fit. While some consumers may question the cup’s functionality, what ultimately draws people in is the increase in the amount of water that they are drinking, promoting a healthier lifestyle. Unlike fashion trends, health trends are here to stay. That is why the Stanley is so powerful. It is not only thriving in the consumer world, but it is also being marketed by influencers and others as a tool of wellness. In the past, many other water bottles and products have attached themselves to trends. While Stanleys are current and are 100% trending, they are not relying on those trends to survive.
Not only does Stanley have popularity, it also has an incredible marketing and design team, which includes people from all generations. This has allowed Stanley to see two very different sides of marketing, further illustrating that their success is the product of careful and intentional marketing. The Stanley is one of the most well-marketed items of 2024, and has loyal customers. For example, some obsessed fans of the cup are willing to wait outside of Target, starting at 3:00 A.M., for the doors to open.
The Stanley product does not fit one consumer. While the leading consumers are young women, other demographics are excited to have a Stanley. Therefore, Stanley is a company that should be studied for the way it influences the decisions of other companies, especially when it comes to marketing.
