Let’s talk about the Stanley Cup craze. It’s been for sale for nearly a decade, yet the total sales increased ten times within the past four years. The concept of reusable water bottles can be traced back to the 1960s and 70s. So why has the Stanley Cup, a seemingly “regular” reusable water bottle, taken the internet by storm and caused mayhem in stores worldwide?
It started in November of 2023 when a woman named Danielle created a TikTok video of her Stanley Quencher surviving a car fire. Not only did the bottle seem unphased by the fire, the water inside still had ice in it. After the video gained almost 10 million likes, the Stanley company offered Danielle a new Stanley and car for her troubles. Stanley Quencher tumblers were discontinued in 2019 due to a lack of sales, but since going viral on the internet, Stanley 1923 sales increased by 275%.
Stanley was founded in 1913 by William Stanley, who invented the concept of vacuum-insulated bottles. By WWII, military pilots used Stanley-made canteens. After over 110 years, Stanley specializes in camping cooking equipment.
The Stanley Quencher has proven that it can handle extreme temperatures, but what about practicality? For starters, the Quencher is offered in 5 sizes, from 14 fluid ounces to 64 fluid ounces, plus 35 colors including solids, patterns, neons, special editions, and even custom options. The handle on the side provides an easy method for carrying, and while the straw is included in the purchase, you can make a slight alteration to the lid to transform it into a coffee-mug-style sipper. Another upside, the Stanley is completely dishwasher safe. It can also easily fit into a car cup holder due to the smaller base and larger top.
Of course, with all the positives, there will be downsides. The straw can be difficult to clean, and a straw cleaner is not included in the purchase. If using the straw, the Stanley can have leaks if it is on its side. When completely filled, the 40 oz size weighs over 3 pounds. Do the positives outweigh the negatives?
In January of 2024, Stanley released a pink, special edition Stanley Quencher. Nothing out-of-this-world, just a “winter pink” Stanley only sold them at Starbucks within Target stores nationwide. Fist fights, outbursts, brawls, robberies, and even legal battles erupted from the sale, and now, the limited edition Stanley is being sold on eBay for $100-200.
It all started with a car fire and continues with social media influencers spending thousands of dollars on duplicates of the same cup. Here is the real question: is the viral Stanley Quencher worth the hype? Or will it become like the many short-term trendy water bottles before it?
