Behind the Stanley™️ Cup Craze: Why They’re Excellent Corporate Gifts

Stanley™️ cups (specifically, the Quencher H2.0 Flowstate™️ Tumbler) have dethroned most other travel tumblers in the current cultural zeitgeist. All over the country – from suburban communities to college campuses – a Stanley™️ Quencher, colloquially referred to as “a Stanley”, is the accessory du jour.

Read on below for a brief introduction into the world of Stanley™️ cups, why and how the Stanley™️ Cup Craze has seemingly swept the nation, and the reasons why they make for excellent corporate gifts for special events, employee onboarding, and more.

So, what exactly is “a Stanley”?

As said above, when people talk about “a Stanley”, they’re referring to a specific model from the brand’s extensive catalog of beverage containers – the Quencher.

Available in seemingly all the colors of the rainbow, as well as various other designs including tie-dye, gradient, floral printed, and more, the Quencher is, at its core, a 40-ounce travel tumbler with a rotating cover lid that features three positions: you can use it with the included reusable straw, open up the wide mouth to drink directly from it, as well as a full-cover top that prevents spillage.

Like many other travel tumblers that have gained popularity in recent years, this Stanley cup holds and keeps your beverage at your desired temperature. That is, your hot drinks will stay hot in it (for up to 7 hours), and cold drinks will stay cold (for up to 11 hours). It’s even known to keep ice even after it’s been through a fire–but more on that later.

Another standout feature of the Quencher is its hefty handle which blends seamlessly into the tumbler from the side. Its unique shape also allows it to sit comfortably in most vehicles’ cup holders despite its brawny size.

Who are the makers of the Stanley cup?

Travel tumblers that are able to maintain your beverage at your desired temperature aren’t exactly new. Stanley™️ has been making them for years–110 years, in the brand’s case. The company was founded by inventor William Stanley Jr. in 1913. Initially, their water bottles, cups, tumblers, and thermoses catered to a largely male audience, specifically soldiers, blue-collar workers, and those who enjoyed the outdoors. Notably, the brand’s classic thermos was used by pilots in World War II.

You’ll find, though, that nowadays branded Stanley cups are in the hands of an adoring clientele made up of mostly women.

This happened after the brand released their offerings in colors other than basic black and other utilitarian hues like dark blue, military green, and stormy gray. It was a smart move for the company, who saw them go from a reported $73 million in revenue to a whopping $750 million last year.

Why does everyone want a Stanley cup?

So, how did branded Stanley cups go viral, exactly? Its popularity seems to stem from a number of factors.

Offering them in a wider variety of colors and designs seems to have contributed significantly to the Quencher’s recent success.

Now available in hues like Cosmic Pink and Rose Quartz, as well as many other “female-friendly” colorways and patterns, Stanley cups are now more attractive to women than ever.

Limiting the availability of these colors and designs also seems to make people go even more feral for them. Starbucks released their very own branded Quencher in a holiday red variant that sent fans into a frenzy; the same goes for Target’s “Galentine’s Day” drop, which included the colors Cosmo Pink and Target Red.

The lifetime warranty on these tumblers probably helps, too. Stanley claims that these products are built for life–and how. Back in November of 2023, a TikTok posted by a woman named Danielle demonstrated just how tough the Quencher is: her car caught fire and burned down to nothing but melted metal and rubber, but her branded Stanley Quencher survived in its cup holder. Not only that–after shaking the cup, she demonstrates that the ice she’d put in it was still solid.

Finally, the #WaterTok trend that started in the middle of last year on TikTok is alive and well this year, too, and Stanley cups and water bottles are a great way to get into the practice of drinking more water and staying hydrated.

Customized Stanley Cups from iPromo

Stanley cups like the Quencher were a huge hit last holiday season, and the hype train shows no signs of stopping. The tumblers made for excellent stocking stuffers, and your recipients–whether they’re clients of your business or new employees–will surely love receiving them, too.

You can take it a step further, though. Instead of giving away generic Stanley cups that are bought off the rack at your local big box store, why not consider personalized Stanley cups that bear your business’ logo on them?

Here at iPromo, we have an extensive selection of Stanley™️ base products to choose from, including the Quencher. They can all be screen printed to bear your business name, logo, or even custom artwork.

Personalized Stanley cups are a great way to promote your business, turning everyone that holds them in their hands into walking billboards for your brand. When given to employees during the onboarding process, they also foster a sense of team unity that simply can’t be replicated. Visit our Stanley collection now to order!