Starbucks And Stanley Dare To Ask, Do You Really Need Another Cup?
Another holiday, another Starbucks x Stanley collab. Does this mean another trip to the store for another cup? On April 9, Starbucks announced its latest lineup of merchandise to celebrate Mother's Day. The new collection includes an assortment of colorful drinkware, from shimmering tumblers to bright floral mugs. But the most anticipated offering is a sky blue Stanley cup. Formally known as the Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler and fondly referred to simply as the Quencher, the 40-ounce cup can be purchased at Starbucks cafés for $49.95. Pastels are absolutely in, based on Pantone's color of the year, so it's safe to say that serious Stanley cup collectors have already secured one in the pale blue hue.
Certainly, the newest Quencher is a thoughtful and practical present for Mother's Day, which falls on May 12 this year. Like any insulated cup, this massive tumbler is designed to keep beverages chilled for hours. Whether your mom prefers her water plain with ice or infused with fruit, there are all kinds of hydrating drinks that she can enjoy in her new travel cup. But this infamous tumbler is also made with aesthetics in mind. Unless your mom is in touch with TikTok trends, she may not realize the gravity of the gift. After all, in the past few years, Stanley's Quencher cups have become more about status than staying hydrated.
The craze surrounding new Stanley cup colors
This collaboration between Stanley and Starbucks isn't the first, and based on past success, it won't be the last. In February, Starbucks celebrated Valentine's Day by partnering with Stanley, and released red and pink Quenchers in celebration of love (and consumerism). And people loved the cups — a lot. Scenes from Target stores showed shoppers selling out displays in several minutes despite being limited to two cups per person. Originally $45, the tumblers quickly hit the resale market for over $200 (via CNBC). So, what's the deal with the demand for Stanley cups?
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The answer boils down to marketing and social media. Stanley has been manufacturing bottles since 1913, but historically catered its products to men. In 2020, four years after the Quencher's unsuccessful release, the brand began selling it in new colors to appeal to women. Instagram-worthy shades led to shocking sales; annual revenue has since skyrocketed from $70 million to over $750 million (via CNBC). Yetis and Hydroflasks might be the OG trendy water bottles, but nowadays, influencers show off shelves full of Stanley cups in almost every hue imaginable on TikTok.
While tumblers are available in countless colors, and more are released regularly — just like the newest Stanley x Starbucks cup — overconsumption defeats the point of reusability. Sure, it's the current it-girl item, and yes, the latest cup is pretty. But if you already have one, do you really need another? Trends come and go; a Stanley cup lasts for centuries.