What comes to mind when you hear the words “Stanley cup?” The National Hockey League Championship? The absurdly large, stainless steel water bottle that has teens obsessed? Over the past two years, the Stanley water bottle has broken the internet, currently defining a particular aesthetic sought after by today’s social media users–specifically, Stanley’s Quencher H2O FlowState Tumbler.
William Stanley founded his company in 1913, and over the years it has produced quality food and beverage gear meant for outdoor and active lifestyles. In 2020, the famous Stanley thermos, received a makeover and was made into a cup. The new updated look featured a large handle, straw top, and a narrow bottom that fits into a cup holder, thus creating the recognizable image of the Quencher H2O FlowState Tumbler.
The cup began to go viral on social media platforms in 2022, largely on TikTok. According to an article from “Today,” in 2022 there was a 275% increase in sales of the Quencher and U.S. sales of all Stanley products increased 751%.
“The Quencher has become an internet sensation over the past two years,” Terence Reilly, Global President of the Stanley Brand said to PR Newswire. “With the new Quencher H2.0 FlowState™ Tumbler, we ensured it was still everything consumers love about the Quencher, plus new features that meet a variety of activity and hydration needs and fit into a more sustainable, less disposable lifestyle.”
The trend has become so serious and the cups so desired that conflict has broken out across the country, especially during the holiday season. A viral video currently circulating online shows a young girl crying tears of joy after opening her brand new pink Stanley cup on Christmas morning. Another shows a crowd of shoppers violently stampeding towards the Stanley display in Target.
According to an article by the “New York Post,” trend expert Casey Lewis had a lot to say about the phenomenon:
“When I was 11, I asked for dolls. Today’s 11-year-olds asked for Stanley tumblers,” Lewis said. “Seeing Gen Alpha kids sobbing over water bottles is pretty surprising.”
Despite the impassioned chaos surrounding this trend, the hype is likely to fade sometime in the near future. Every internet and social media fad goes through a period of discourse and criticism before ultimately retiring.
When I was 11, I asked for dolls. Today’s 11-year-olds asked for Stanley tumblers. Seeing Gen Alpha kids sobbing over water bottles is pretty surprising.
— Casey Lewis
“In my experience, most trends start with cool youth, and then once they trickle down (to younger kids) and up (to adults), the cool youth move on,” Lewis said. “When young kids and tweens adopt a trend or product, teens and older Gen Z distance themselves.”
Even teens at Stone Bridge are recognizing the absurdity of this trend. At this point, sophomore Cuyler Brown is anti-Stanley and pro-any other water bottle. Some, including Brown, are even discussing the cup versus its supposed competitor Hydro Flask.
“There’s a bunch of other water bottles out there that are cheaper and for better quality,” Brown said. “You will never ever see me fighting over a $45 water bottle in the middle of the Target. Camping outside of Target – that’s embarrassing!”
