Over recent years, Gen-Z consumers have shifted to supporting ethical businesses and eco-friendly products. Recreating the buyer’s experience of what it’s like to shop ethically. New trends include shopping at your local thrift store and buying off apps like Depop, Poshmark, Mercari, and other platforms that sell pre-loved items. Meanwhile, big retailers and fast fashion sites are gradually being disapproved.
You may be familiar with the latest craze surrounding the new insulated water bottle called Stanley, a coveted item for girls worldwide. I’m talking about all ages: girls as young as seven up to grown adults.
Other popular insulated water bottles, such as Hydroflask, YETI, Thermos, Owala, and many others, have been on the market. But none seem to match the widespread phenomenon that Stanley has generated.
Towards the end of November, a video featuring a woman showcasing her Stanley Cup surviving a car fire went viral, accumulating 60 million views. Remarkably, the cup had retained its ice and was the only item not destroyed by the fire. The owner of Stanley reached out to the woman and offered to replace the car, and since then, sales have only skyrocketed.
Last week, Target collaborated with Stanley and released their Valentine’s Day collection in-store. Limiting two cups per customer. Footage showed a crowd of women running towards the limited item, along with having a security guard watching over the Stanly-crazed buyers. The cup sold out both in-store and online within one day.
Another big-name brand that has collaborated with Stanley is Starbucks. Around the same time, Target collaborated with Stanley. Buyers were seen camping before their local Starbucks to get their hands on the limited-edition item. Not to mention that these limited-edition Stanleys are currently being re-sold for three to four times their original price of $40, ranging from $150 to $250 on Stock X.
Many on social media are confused as to why the cup is so popular, while others are adding to the trend by customizing their Stanely cup, buying accessories including attachments that allow charms to attach to the cup, wallets, straw covers in a variety of designs, and many more.
I don’t own a Stanley, but I had come close to obtaining one at a white elephant Christmas party at work. It was the classic 40oz Stanley in the color Orchid, and as soon as the gift was revealed, I knew I wanted it. It turned out that everyone in the office wished for it as much as I did.
I had held it for a second before my co-worker besides me had stolen my beloved Stanley. Did I mention that I work with all women? In short words- I was devastated. Devastated may be an overstatement, but I remember keeping my poker face on in front of my co-workers just to hide the utter jealousy and disappointment I felt when it was gone from my hand simply because it was the only opportunity to get one for free.
