How Stanley Leveraged Customer Engagement to Become the Most Loved Product of 2023

The Stanley cup has taken over. Take a quick scroll on social media and you’ll spot the sizable water bottle featured almost ubiquitously. From younger fans to millennial moms, the Stanley Quencher cup has become a status symbol for hydration. 

With its iconic grip handle, three-position lid and endless bright colors, the ‘Built for Life’ bottle has taken the world by storm. No longer a brand for blue collar workers looking to keep their coffee warm, Stanley has transformed its image to adapt to its largely female fan base. Now more of a collector item than a utilitarian product, the recent uptick in sales has led to a borderline craze in fans looking to secure Stanleys.

In recent viral social media posts, customers flock to Target and Starbucks racing to find the latest drop from Stanley - limited edition Valentine’s Day tumblers. Comments flood each video questioning the reasoning and logic of the obsession and the uniqueness of the bottle; after all, it is just a water bottle.

Whether you’ve seen Stanley on social media, in your child’s classroom or on your colleagues desk, it has become a staple item for customers looking to up their water intake. But, unpacking the source of the obsession and the history of this iconic brand seems a worthwhile discussion. The history and trajectory of Stanley’s recent growth reflects a winning combination of marketing and viral customer service moments. 

For our CCW Digital community, here we break down the rise of Stanley in 2024 and share some key learning moments for engaging customers and redefining your brand.

Stanley 1913: a Legacy Brand Reimagined

Although Stanley is currently having its moment, it is hardly new to the market. Founded in 1913, William Stanley Jr. built the company after filing the official patent for the all-steel vacuum bottle. The brand existed comfortably in the drinkware category for years and it originally excelled with its production of thermoses - the innovative technology kept customers drinks cold or warm for hours on end. The brand immediately appealed to blue collar workers who used their thermoses for long days on the job. 

More recently, Stanley introduced its iconic Quencher in 2016. With an accessible handle and its patented vacuum technology, it was introduced as a highly functional water bottle. But, it didn’t initially attract a wide audience. The cup debuted with little success - after slow sales Stanley eventually stopped restocking and marketing the product in 2019.  

Interest from influential blogger, Ashlee LeSueur, eventually saved the Quencher and planted the seeds for imminent obsession. As Cofounder of ‘The Buy Guide’ LeSueur was savvy in identifying trend-setting products. After purchasing a Stanley Quencher at her local Bed Bath and Beyond, she began recommending it to her friends and followers. 

Upon finding out that the Quencher was being discontinued, LeSueur reached out to Stanley to prompt them to reconsider their decision. CNBC reports, “Instead, Stanley gave her another option: make a wholesale order to sell Quenchers directly to her Buy Guide audience.” 

LeSueur tentatively made a purchase order for 5,000 water bottles to sell to The Buy Guide audience. The investment paid off within days and Stanley partnered with the blog to reinstate the Quencher in 2 new colors.

Terence Reilly and the Power of Marketing

Stanley didn’t just have influencers on its side, the brand hired a savvy marketing executive who knew how to leverage this partnership and adapt to customer needs. Terence Reilly, Global President of Stanley, who came to the brand after spending 5 years as Chief Marketing Officer at Crocs, built the strategy that led to its impressive rise to fame.

To give some perspective on his track record, during Reilly's time at his former company, Crocs went from an undesirable, borderline ugly clog to a leading fashion accessory. With a similar transition at Stanley, it seems that Reilly's marketing strategy is largely responsible for the virality and rise to ‘cool status’ both products quickly experienced.

In his current role, Reilly began a listening tour to understand the brand from the employees’ perspective. According to CNBC, this boots on the ground approach led to the initial launching point - one employee mentioned The Buy Guide, prompting the partnership that launched the brand to new heights. 

“My experience at Crocs told me that that kind of influencer opportunity was just the magic that Stanley might need,” he says. “And we were right. The Buy Guide proved to be amazing partners and helped us create the Quencher phenomenon,” Reilly shared with CNBC Make It.

Reilly's instincts proved right - the Stanley Quencher went from being almost discontinued to being the top wishlist item for Christmas in 2023. Stanley’s annual sales were projected to exceed $750 million in 2023 according to CNBC.

This jump from $70 million just four short years ago demonstrates the power of virality and adaptable marketing and product strategies. Stanley proves that understanding your customer, learning about their behaviors, preferences and needs will always pay off.

Reilly shares his highly effective marketing approach with Ad Week, “Connection. Marketing is all about connection. At Stanley, our incredible team has made amazing connections with consumers, customers and culture.  We’ve brought many new fans to the brand while retaining the loyalists who’ve been in love with our products long before they went viral.”

It’s this connection that has empowered the brand to initiate collaborations with brands like Starbucks, Target and even Country Singer Lainey Wilson. 

“We constantly lean into cultural trends and pop culture moments to stay top of mind for our consumers. Our Recent Lainey Wilson Quencher collaboration, which sold out in only 11 minutes, is a great example of how Stanley is shaping and influencing today’s cultural zeitgeist,” Reilly states.

Social media has also played a key role in Stanley’s impressive growth - #StanleyTumbler has been viewed more than 900 million times. With influencers touting the tumblr in their videos and singing its praises, the organic traffic and word-of-mouth marketing has undoubtedly contributed to its success.

Why it Matters for CX

The Stanley cup phenomenon is interesting in terms of the customer experience. It illustrates the importance of observation in understanding how customers are using your product, who is using your product and why. Had Stanley ignored The Buy Guide team’s request and continued in the direction of its seasoned brand image, the Quencher would likely be sitting in a select few customer’s cupboards, discontinued and effectively dead.

However, Stanley’s and Terrence Reilly’s ability to recognize emerging customer segments and adapt not only their marketing strategy but their product to meet their needs, has truly powered the resurgence and rise of the Quencher.

@danimarielettering Thirsty after you catch on fire? @Stanley 1913 is like no problem i gotchu #fyp #carfire #accident #stanleycup ♬ original sound - Danielle

Stanley’s social media and customer service has also contributed to its success. The brand continues to lean into its virality and engage with customers in new ways. In November 2023, Stanley was highlighted in a viral TikTok video from a woman sharing that her Stanley Tumbler had survived a car fire. Panning to the copper Quencher in the largely destroyed and rubbled vehicle, TikTok user Danielle @danimarielettering shares that amid tragedy, her Stanley endured and, remarkably, the ice in her cup remained solid.

@stanleybrand #stitch with @Danielle ♬ original sound - Stanley 1913

Terrence Reilly personally reacted to the video and shared that Stanley would not just replace her still intact Quencher, but they would be sending her a brand new car. This incredibly generous gesture garnered the attention of millions on social media - keeping Stanley trending on the platform and demonstrating the brand’s commitment to its customers.

It’s moves like these that have catapulted the brand to the height of success. Whether or not the Stanley Quencher is a fleeting trend or a long term fixture is still up for interpretation, but the continued focus on customer behavior and the dedication to adapting to customer needs is certainly a trend that will never go out of style.

Brands should take this as a lesson in the customer engagement playbook - learning about your customer, adapting to their needs and innovating your brand no matter how established it is will always lead to success. 

Photo by Natilyn Photography on Unsplash.