In an overstimulated attention economy, even the most mundane items can eventually transform into bona fide status symbols. Why use a reusable water bottle when cushioned foam works so well for clogging?
If you occupy a certain corner of TikTok long enough, you can find Stanley Cup collectors. Just to be clear, I’m not talking about fans of giant trophies awarded to NHL champions, I’m talking about people who are obsessively hoarding Stanley Quencher tumblers. .
Videos about so-called Stanley Cup shopping, explanations, and admiration racked up millions of views on TikTok by late 2023.
However Retail analysts claim: The popularity of quencher tumblers began as early as 2017, and demand for Stanley quenchers peaked last year. Either way, Stanley’s signature reusable water bottle was hypercharged by Stanley’s president, Terrence Riley.
Before joining Stanley in 2020, Riley served as Chief Marketing Officer for Crocs for five years, where he developed the strategy that gave Crocs the comfortable crossover success it enjoys today.
Of course, Reilly isn’t the only person who deserves credit for Quencher’s renaissance, but he arguably helped change Stanley’s brand image, adapting the 110-year-old company in subtle and bold ways. Ta.
For example, Stanley’s Instagram feed ranges from mundane photos of utilitarian camping gear to Cute cup in pastel colors Videos from fan events in LA, etc. Notice that almost everyone in line is young and carrying $50 reusable water bottles. This is no ordinary water bottle demo.
Under Riley’s direction, the Stanley Cup is now available in a rainbow of hues, with sporadic arrivals in the vein of Hype sneakers, and, well, enjoying all the fanfare of Hype sneakers. is.
There’s more to the Crocs-Stanley relationship than just the power of subliminal viral marketing.
For example, a TikTok posted by a woman in mid-November showing Stanley’s tumbler apparently surviving a car fire exploded on the internet, before Stanley promised to replace the woman’s burn marks through Riley. It became a topic of local news. She gets out of the car (and also sends her a free Stanley Cup).
By the summer of 2023, demand for Stanley’s Cups will be so high that rare models and sales will spark a Black Friday-like rush, with shoppers desperate for discounts on drinking cups piling on the prized quencher tumblers. I perused the store displays.
The biggest factor driving demand for the Stanley Cup is word of mouth. It happens when you see other people using them online and getting excited about them. Pretty classic stuff.
This is a similar phenomenon to the hype surrounding other hot water bottle brands, such as Nalgene, the go-to brand for gopcore sets, and the much-loved Hydro Flask. 2019 VSCO Girls.
Reusable water bottles have become symbols of a subculture that are more reflective of the person carrying them than what’s inside them. In a society where what you buy becomes who you are, even your favorite water retention device has meaning.
The reusable water bottle market suddenly becomes more competitive, and here’s why clothing companies are joining forces with bottle brandWhy Air Up? flood the internet It includes an ad in which a snappy ASMR-like narrator promises:Zhis is not a voter bottle. ”
Stanley is perhaps the best example of a reusable water bottle brand following the same path as Crocs.
This is a phenomenon where companies realize that their products are trending toward virality and lean into it, and in both cases, it’s likely Riley’s intention.
Neither Stanley nor Crocs make products that are inherently gender- or age-specific, but their savvy social media presence, targeted collaborations, word of mouth, and influencers are promising. Thanks to semi-affordable products that are equally useful, Crocs and Stanley both have built a solid following with young consumers.
Crocs’ demographic breakdown is pretty evident in the Instagram comments section, with fans begging for the meme to be restocked lightning mcqueen clogsTikTok, crocs hashtag has been viewed over 11.5 billion times.
Sure, Crocs doesn’t just sell clogs to kids, but the fact that kids want the company’s clogs is a retail achievement in itself. So is Stanley.
Everyone wants to be the new favorite. In some cases, this also includes foam slip-ons and stainless steel drink cups.