It seems as though a new reusable water bottle takes the world by storm every few years. First, it was the S’well water bottle and then the rise of Hydro flasks. Later, the Yeti had its moment, followed by the beloved Stanley tumbler. Each of these bottles varies in size, volume, and model. However, they each carry a similar feature. They are reusable.
Stanley believes “the most sustainable products are the kind that never need to be thrown away or replaced.” Knowing this, it is ironic and disappointing to watch a brand that used to be a well-known symbol of sustainability, turn into the latest symbol of overconsumption.
What is a Stanley Cup?
No, not the hockey trophy. The reusable water bottle. According to their website, Stanley was founded in 1913 by William Stanley Jr. The sturdy and reliable cup has been a staple during “workdays, road trips, and outdoor adventures” for more than 100 years. It all began when Stanley Jr. fused vacuum insulation and the strength of steel into one portable and reusable bottle.
Social media has played a large role in Stanley’s overwhelming popularity. Thousands of videos flooded TikTok with content creators raving about how their Stanley keeps their water cold all day and how “aesthetically pleasing” the colour choices are. But who is the mastermind behind Stanley’s successful marketing strategies? None other than Terence Reilly.
After five years as Chief Marketing Officer for Crocs, Reilly joined Stanley as president in 2020. According to an Advertising Week article, Stanley began to “lean into cultural trends and pop culture moments to stay top of mind for [their] consumers.” The recent Lainey Wilson Quencher collaboration “sold out in only 11 minutes.” Reilly says the sellout is a “perfect example of how Stanley is shaping and influencing today’s cultural zeitgeist.”
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Stanley recently released two sets of limited edition tumblers. One for Valentine’s Day, and the other for a collaboration with Starbucks. These cups sparked frenzies in stores around the United States, as people were scrambling to get a hold of the products.
After these tumblers were released, people were sharing their unique stories about how they got a hold of the cup. Two notable videos capture people clearing a stand full of Stanley cups in minutes, and another shares the story of a woman camping outside of Target at 4:00 am to get the limited edition cup. There is an overwhelming amount of similar videos on the internet, where creators are showing off how their Stanley tumblers match their outfits and flashing their large Stanley collections pridefully.
Many are turning to extreme methods of obtaining these cups, including theft. According to a Facebook post from the City of Roseville Police Department, a woman was pulled over after stealing 65 Stanley products, valued at nearly $2500.
The latest symbol of overconsumption:
The entire purpose of a Stanley tumbler is that it is reusable and sustainable. However, consumers are purchasing multiples of the same tumbler, just in different colours. Camping outside of Target at 4:00 am and resorting to crime is unnecessary and excessive for something as insignificant as a water bottle.
It is critical to understand that corporate powers have permeated the evaluative standards for what it means to be “trendy” or “popular.” If everyone feels like they need this cup, people will resort to extremes. Inevitably, this has environmental consequences. This form of marketing only encourages mass production and expansion, which is fundamentally incompatible with sustainability.
What does it mean when sustainable products get wrapped up in overconsumption trends? What will happen when this too becomes just another trend? What does this mean for the environment?
The Stanley cup trend raises a handful of environmental concerns. Stanley does not offer any product recycling options, which ultimately creates waste that is more difficult to dispose of than plastic water bottles. The company also does not offer repair services, which encourages repurchasing the product entirely instead of having the old one fixed. Stanley tumblers have become a fashion accessory and a status symbol. According to a Business Insider article, “the overconsumption of these candy-coloured steel bottles is counterintuitive.”
Will your Stanley eventually collect dust in your cabinet? For the sake of our planet, before you purchase another Stanley, consider the environmental impacts of overconsumption.