Discover the Stanley Cup trend: a stainless steel tumbler from a century-old outdoor brand, now a hit with millennials and Gen Z through social media buzz. The Stanley Cup trend shows no signs of slowing—everyone seems to have one.
The Stanley Cup trend has become more than just a coveted trophy; it's a cultural phenomenon that has captured the attention and desires of people worldwide. But what exactly is the Stanley Cup trend, and why do people yearn for a Stanley Cup?
Most people think of hockey when they hear the words "Stanley Cup", but we're referring to something else entirely, a steel tumbler from a brand that originally specialized in camping gear and outdoor accessories that in recent years seemed to capture the attention of Gen Z and millenial women. The 40-ounce tumbler, which costs $40, comes many colours and shades. It comes equipped with a lid with a removable straw, a handle and an insulated body that is tapered at the bottom, allowing it to easily fit in a cup holder.
The iconic Stanley Cup is currently available in 11 colours on their website, with the occasional limited edition release of new shades and colours.
Behind every trend lies a story of its ascent to popularity. The Stanley Cup trend is no exception. From its humble beginnings to the widespread enthusiasm it enjoys today, let's unravel the journey that propelled the Stanley Cup into the realm of pop culture.
According to an article by the New York Times, the Stanley Cup trend craze stemmed from "Utah mom influencers", with a 32-year-old content creator from Dallas named Krystle noting "once you get the Utah mom influencers on board, it spreads like wildfire". The Stanley Cup gained traction on TikTok, a social media platform known for it's ability to make content go viral, where the hashtag #StanleyTumbler has received more than 1 billion views.
Another big catalyst in the popularity of the Stanley cup TikTok trend was a viral video posted by user @danimarielettering, where the creator shares a shocking video of her vehicle burnt to a crisp after a fire, and her Stanley Cup remains unharmed with the ice still inside and intact, with a reach of 28 million views.
Stanley's global president Terence Reilly undoubtedly pleased with the display of the Stanley cup's durability, then posted a stitch with Danielle's video on the brand's TikTok account offering Danielle a free vehicle.
Danielle's video having been posted only in November of last year certainly added as catalyst to the fire that is the Stanley Cup's existing popularity that lead to the Target frenzy we all witnessed in December.
Influencers on #WaterTok, a corner of TikTok where people with very plump-looking skin who take hydration very seriously, praised the cup as a holy grail, listing out its purported virtues: it fits in a car's cup holder and has a straw for easy drinking, and a handle too, according to an article from the Guardian.
The #WaterTok trend is an fascinating phenomenon, with YouTube creators like @tiffanyferg deep driving the trend in a recent video. She defines the trend as "a TikTok niche where mostly Southern ladies make their water; they add sugar-free powders and syrups to ice water in huge Stanley cups".
The #WaterTok niche and Stanley cup trend are both the subjects of criticism, see a table below including some of the most common criticisms towards trend participant:
| WaterTok Criticisms | Stanley cup Trend Criticisms |
| Many enthusiasts dump water from plastic bottles into their tumblers, causing single-use plastic waste | Many enthusiasts dump water from plastic bottles into their tumblers, and buy way more tumblers than they need, creating waste and defeating the environmentally friendly benefits of the tumbler |
| Many critics argue that once you add powders and syrups, it's no longer water, therefore the term #WaterTok or "making water" doesn't make sense. | The price point of the cup has been critiqued to be too high, and the trend excludes those who cannot afford to spend $40 on a reusable cup |
| There is an element of excess, too many additives, it's unhealthy | It promotes overconsumerism, people wait in long lines and at times fight physically to get a hold of one of these cups |
A key connection between the #WaterTok trend and the Stanley cup trend is the fact that the Stanley cup holds a large volume of water, and is easily transportable with a handle and it's tapered bottom to fit perfect in car cupholders, allowing for the #WaterTok ladies to stay hydrated with their creative concoctions.
On December 31st, 2023, as part of Target’s “Galentine’s Collection,” Stanley released their highly coveted 40-oz Quencher tumblers in limited edition Cosmo Pink and Target Red. The hype was exceedingly high—a recent video from TikTok shows a crowd of people rushing to get the cups off a display shelf at Target. The video has been watched more than 20 million times, and the hashtag #StanleyTumbler has accumulated over one billion views.
This Target craze is the result of a perfect storm of social media branding and social media marketing, and once the word got out about these new exclusive and limited-edition colours, everyone just had to have it, with shoppers waiting in long lines and rushing to get their hands on one of their own.
For Marketing Leaders looking to stay ahead of the curve, understanding trending phenomena is crucial. From what we have seen, many products that gain rapid popularity has originated from a social media trend, for this reason, Marketing Leaders rapid detection across all social platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), at a minimum. The challenge is, most of the time once you become aware of a trend, it has been trending on social media for a while and you're already behind the curve.
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The Stanley Cup trend refers to the cultural phenomenon surrounding a 40-ounce steel tumbler by Stanley, known for camping gear. It gained popularity among Gen Z and millennial women for its versatile design, costing $40 with various colors and features.
The iconic Stanley Cup tumbler is currently available in 11 colors on their website, with occasional limited edition releases of new shades and colors.
The trend originated from "Utah mom influencers" and surged on TikTok, particularly through the hashtag #StanleyTumbler, amassing over 1 billion views. A viral video showcasing the tumbler's durability during a car fire contributed significantly.
Influencers on #WaterTok, known for taking hydration seriously, praise the Stanley Cup for its design—fitting in a car's cup holder with a straw and handle. This connection has led to both trends facing some criticisms, as outlined in the blog.
The frenzy at Target resulted from the release of exclusive Cosmo Pink and Target Red 40-oz Quencher tumblers on December 31st, 2023, as part of Target’s “Galentine’s Collection.” Social media branding and marketing played a significant role in creating this craze.
For staying ahead of trends, Marketing leaders need to monitor various social platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Utilizing Artificial Intelligence tools like Trendsdecoder from Granularity can help analyze data rapidly, detect emerging patterns, and anticipate trends up to 6 months ahead.
Some common criticisms include environmental concerns, excessive buying and high price points. These concerns highlight the challenges associated with trends in consumer behaviors.
AI tools like Trendsdecoder from Granularity can sift through vast data, identify keywords, and analyze sentiment, helping Marketing Leaders detect emerging patterns and anticipate trends. Sign up for a free trial to stay ahead in understanding trends in shorts and more.
