Why do trends start? For example, why were thousands of momfluencers and watertok creators waiting in line for hours, and then literally fighting over limited edition releases of Stanley cups in recent months? The complex answer covers multiple considerations, reflecting the nuanced and confusing ways that consumers develop and display their sometimes surprising preferences and behaviors. The craze seemingly started in a healthy place. That is, a universal recommendation holds that people should drink sufficient water each day. In turn, a dedicated stream of social media content, popularly referred to as “watertok,” offers a wide range of videos that show clever, creative, appealing ways to consume enough water. The influencers posting such videos want a pleasing aesthetic, as well as functional tools, to present their content in the best light. The Stanley Quencher cups meet both those requirements. Not only do they promise to keep icy beverages frozen for up to two days, but they come in a vast range of pretty, uncommon colors, like Cosmo Pink, Forest Gloss Deco, and Balsam Glow.

Once these influencers had embraced Stanley cups, the products became a must-have for trendy consumers, of many ages. Exercise influencers propped the cups in the background, emphasizing their trendy status and making their dedication to hydration clear to their followers, who then purchased their own tumblers for their trips to the gym. Momfluencers are commonly seen with Stanley cups in the cupholders of their minivans. Middle-school students insist on showing up to school or practice with their own, individualized version of the tumbler.

Another key influence was a stroke of good luck—or bad luck, depending on your perspective. A TikTok video, posted by a regular user and viewed by more than 2 million people, revealed what happened after her car caught fire. At the junkyard, she found, among the wreckage, her Stanley cup, completely unharmed. Reaching past the charred steering wheel to retrieve the tumbler, she shakes it, creating the unmistakable sound of ice still remaining in her cold drink. It was incredible free marketing, verifying the functionality of the cups, which Stanley responded to immediately by reaching out to the car fire victim and providing her with a new cup, as well as with new car—gestures that she immediately shared with her followers. 

Stanley has leveraged and encouraged the larger trends surrounding its products as well. The company has been making drinking vessels and thermoses for more than a century, but in the past, its nearly indestructible, stainless steel products were popular primarily among blue-collar workers and campers, mostly men, who toted the heavy thermoses to work filled with hot coffee or soup for lunch. By shifting their focus to a predominantly female audience, interested in health trends and aesthetics, Stanley has effectively repositioned itself and its appeal. In turn, and in less than five years, its revenues have increased tenfold, from $73 million to $750 million as of 2023.  In accordance with this repositioning, it also has revised its strategy. Although some basic versions of its cups can be had for around $40, the limited edition models, such as those that are available only on holidays (e.g., Christmas, Valentine’s/Galentine’s) or in collaboration with other brands (e.g., Starbucks), sell for upward of $100 each.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you have a Stanley Quencher? Why or why not?
2. Offer a prediction: How long with the popular demand for Stanley cups last?

Sources: Alex Abad-Santos, “The Stanley Water Bottle Craze, Explained,” Vox, January 9, 2024; Joseph Lamour, “Starbucks’ Pink Stanley Cup Causes Mayhem at Target, Won’t Be Restocked,” Today.com, January 9, 2024; https://www.tiktok.com/@danimarielettering/video/7312882104428219678