Why Is Everyone Losing It Over Stanley Cups? The Hype Explained
How did Stanley Cups join the ranks of Supreme box logos, Playstation 5s, and Air Jordans? Here’s the hype behind Stanley Cups explained.
Yes, Stanley cups, those gigantic metal tumblers, are quickly becoming the most hyped accessory to own in 2024.
Recently, videos showing dozens of shoppers mobbing Targets to buy Stanleys have gone viral on social media. On Jan. 3, the hype reached new heights with the release of another collaboration between Stanley and Starbucks.
The limited-edition Stanleys, which came in pink, were exclusively sold at Target for $45 and garnered early-morning lines at stores across America. One viral video shows a Stanley fan attempting to shoplift them before getting tackled and beaten by other customers who waited in line for hours. The cups sold out quickly and are now being resold for as much as $200 on StockX and eBay.
So why are Stanley cups being treated like Supreme box logos, PlayStation 5s, and Air Jordans right now? Here’s the hype behind Stanley, explained.
What’s So Special About The Stanleys Sold at Target?
Another component fueling the hype for Stanleys are limited-edition collaborations. When Stanley was working with influencers like The Buy Guide, it also hired Terence Reilly to be its new president in May 2020. Before joining Stanley, Reilly worked at Crocs for seven years as its chief marketing officer and helped reinvent the brand as a hyped footwear label. Like Crocs, Reilly has used collaborations and limited drops to build a collector’s community around the product.
“My experience at Crocs was fueled by collaboration culture and drop culture,” Reilly told MSNBC. “And I knew that once we had our legs under us at Stanley, and once we could see the connection to consumers that we were creating, we were also ready for collaborations.”
Since 2019, Stanley has released Quencher collaborations with celebrities like Lainey Wilson and beauty brands like Olay. Quenchers that are released at Target are so hyped because the big box store has been the exclusive retail partner for many of these collaborations. According to MSNBC, Stanley’s annual revenue has only grown since 2019. It doubled from $94 million in 2020 to $194 million in 2021, to doubling again to $402 million in 2022.
