Unless you avoided people, public places and all of social media in 2023, you know it was the year for 40 oz. tumblers. If you paid even a little attention to trends, you saw the Stanley 40 oz. Quencher take over in promo and retail. Suddenly, women and girls of all ages were lugging around huge tumblers full of water.
Stanley is a brand that’s been around for years. Founded in 1913, it was known for decades for its classic steel vacuum bottles and lunch boxes in its signature Hammertone Green, mostly used by the workers who first built the country’s infrastructure. The company’s items and its clientele were both suited to spend time outside in the elements.
That changed in late 2022, when a combination of brand flexibility, new executive faces, image retooling, earnest influencers, savvy affiliate marketing and swoon-worthy lifestyle shots – plus a bit of luck – launched the 40-oz. Quencher into the stratosphere. The tumbler is an object of adoration, lauded by millions of social media users and so worshipped that consumers this holiday season camped out in tents outside Starbucks locations to try to score the special-edition Stanley x Starbucks style, many with plans to resell them online for huge markups.
So, what caused this sudden success? Their marketing strategy pivoted.
In 2019, at Stanley’s behest, the three female influencers behind The Buy Guide (a popular ladies shopping blog) cautiously placed an order for 10,000 cups – all of which they promptly sold. Their success convinced Stanley to re-prioritize the Quencher and, at the same time, add a focus on drinkware for women. Stanley’s new president decided they should go all in on this new female audience. They launched brand new colors that were pastels and colorful (opposite of what they done the last century).
We’ve been offering alternatives since the very beginning because of high demand, but companies who want the brand name are willing wait and have the budget for the popular brand.
While celebrating the product of the year, we also want to highlight similar products that have been able to keep up with the Quencher in terms of performance.
Pelican Drinkware Rivals Stanley®
Popular Science has been writing articles about the best technology for more than 150 years and they named Pelican’s 40 oz. Porter™ the best tumbler in the industry. The Porter™ keeps drinks cold for hours. This longevity is thanks to a copper lining that works with double-wall vacuum insulation to prevent thermal loss. Be sure to check out this style #PL1008 and other Pelican drinkware. The other Pelican styles shown have the same effective insulation that will leave your customers satisfied with the final product. Check out their wide assortment of trending colors!
While we have seen several Stanley orders this year, clients have also found success with similar styles that have been tested and hold ice just as long. Our favorites are the Intrepid , Denali, Apex and Maxim Tumblers shown below. Contact your Bankers Promotional Consultant for more information.