Valentine's Day has just passed. TikTok tells you what products young Americans are most concerned about. At 4 o'clock in the morning, crowds began to gather in front of Target. As soon as the opening hours came, the crowd poured in, and 20 seconds later, the limited-edition red thermos cups on the shelves were all gone. This is the "Valentine's Day" cup co-branded by Stanley and Starbucks.
A video of a frantic rush for Stanley's new thermos cup has been circulated on social media in the United States, and physical fights have broken out in some stores. CBS, FOX and local TV stations competed to report on it. The New York Times reporter advised everyone to wear a helmet next time they go to Dajit.
Sustainable eco-friendly mug becomes a fashion accessory and collectible
Stanley is an old American thermos cup. It has always been famous for its durability. Holding a cup in your hand can show your "tough guy style" and is very popular among outdoor adventurers. However, Stanley's style has changed dramatically in recent years, making the thermos a new favorite of the community and a fashion accessory for young people.
With a stainless steel bottle body, simple handle, and colorful styles, the Stanley Adventure Series Quencher is a basic equipment for TikTok users. Some people display hundreds of cups that have never been used; others display daily outfits in the same color as the cups.
In November last year, a woman took a video of his car being on fire and charred, but the Stanley thermos cup in the front seat was intact and there was still ice in the cup. This video attracted 95 million views on TikTok, making it even more legendary. Even Stanley president Terence Reilly came forward and offered to help him get a new car.
Marketing turns to old brands to create high revenue
Stanley was originally known for its rigid lines and plain colors, and its main customer base was men who loved outdoor sports. After Riley took over as president in 2020, the customer base shifted to women, and trendy new colors were launched at a rapid pace. Through co-branding with other brands or limited sales, etc., it created topics in the community.
"The customer wants his cup to match his clothes, manicure, car, kitchen decoration...whatever scene he wants the cup to match, we will provide it," Riley told CNBC.
According to "Bloomberg", the new strategy has brought substantial revenue, allowing Stanley's annual income to skyrocket from US$70 million (approximately NT$2.19 billion) in 2019 to US$750 million (approximately NT$23.5 billion) in 2023. More than 10 times.
When sustainable cups become collectibles
Behind Stanley's halo, the brand image is also cast a shadow. Stanley's philosophy is "Built For Life", to create products that can be used for a lifetime, but now it has become a negative teaching material.
The traditional Stanley Cup focuses on outdoor style and maintains a good brand image, but sales are limited. Image source: Jaime Reimer/Pexels
"Bloomberg" directly criticized Stanley as "a symbol of excessive waste", and reusable environmentally friendly cups have to be reused "many times" to make sense. However, judging from the collection of collection posts that can be seen on TikTok, many Stanley cups are not even used at all. Never used it once.
According to the official introduction, Stanley’s adventure series bottle 90% is made of recycled stainless steel. Stanley announced that by 2025, all products will use recycled stainless steel at least 50%. Currently, this ratio is only 23%.
The New York Times also criticized Stanley's fanaticism, saying it was a phenomenon created by marketing, Internet celebrities, and the community, and that collecting reusable cups is not environmentally friendly.
Trend review author Casey Lewis told the New York Times that another eco-friendly cup has become popular on campus. He boldly predicted that the Stanley craze would fade away and the cups would sit on shelves, in basements, gathering dust, and eventually thrown into the trash.
References:
*The New York Times (February 9, 2024), Is There a Climate Cost to Collecting Climate-Friendly Stuff, Like Mugs?
*Bloomberg (February 1, 2024), Stanley Made Reusable Cups Huge. Now It Has to Make Them Sustainable
*New York Times (January 5, 2024), Why People Are Camping Out at Target for the Valentine's Stanley Tumbler
Source: Environmental Information Center
