During winter break, a tumbler went viral on the internet and has not been forgotten since. Stanleys are in schools, in stores and definitely all over the internet.
Statistically, it is safe to assume that Americans who haven’t encountered someone with a Stanley in person, or at least on the internet, have been living under a rock. Not to worry, The Torch has your back. Let’s take a look at what makes Stanley cups special.
History
If you back-track a little more than a decade, you would start to see an ongoing trend. America loves water bottles, especially if they’re the slightest bit fancy.
2009 marked the birth of Hydro Flask, a sustainable, durable and refillable water bottle company that gained more popularity in 2012. Its fame peaked in 2019 with the TikTok “VSCO Girl” trend, adopting the bottle as part of the VSCO aesthetic. Hydro Flask, preceded Yeti, and ultimately, the Stanley.
The company was established in 1913 by inventor William Stanley Jr. Little did he know his company’s tumbler would go on to capture the attention of millions of people.
The Tumbler’s Allure
If we are being literal, Stanleys are also well-liked due to the overall features of the cup. Is it the big straw? The fancy handle? Yes. That and more.
“The Quencher Cup”, the one most popularly carried by Stanley-lovers today, carries 40 ounces of liquid. Many people also like Stanleys for their insulation capabilities. The website claims to have used “QuadVac™ technology – adding a double layer barrier to the double wall vacuum insulation for industry leading thermals.” For these reasons, the famous cup is known to keep cold drinks cool and hot drinks heated for long periods of time.
Additionally, a CNN article commented on the company’s selection of colors possibly contributing to the cup’s “candy-like array of colors” as well. We asked our student body what they thought about this, several agreed.
“Well there’s a trendy water bottle every year, last year I think it was Yetis,” Victoria Cannarella, a senior at JFK states. “It’s just trends.”
All Aboard the TikTok Trend Train
You may be thinking so what? Don’t other water bottles have similar features? Though that may be true, considering the past popularity of Yetis and Hydro Flasks, the features are not the only reason for the Stanley’s popularity. Social media played a big part as well. Thanks to #watertok on TikTok, a Stanley craze emerged around 2022 and is still growing today.
New Drops
Big news for the Stanley fans: Stanley is dropping the “All Day 40 oz. Quencher Carry-All” on April 16! This product clips onto Stanley Cups and is made to provide customers with a pocket-free experience. The Carry-All is made from 100% recyclable materials and enhances the tumbler’s functionality with features such as a phone pocket, card sleeve, sunglasses pocket, and a 4-way stretch mesh pocket for other small essentials.
Whether it be the “QuadVac” technology or pretty colors, the popularity of the Stanley has definitely earned it a place in America’s water bottle Hall of Fame. So are Stanleys worth it? Or are they just another well-marketed water bottle? Let us know in the poll below!
