By Dominick Pacileo, Staff Writer
For some, when hearing someone mention a Stanley Cup, a hockey trophy comes to mind. But for many others these days, a Stanley Cup is a different mark of prestige. Stanley is a company that sells a large variety of cups, bottles and tumblers. The beverage holders are popular and have amassed a devoted following. The items can hold anything from hot chocolate to ice-cold lemonade.
In order to understand the appeal of this pop culture item that is sweeping the world by storm, one must first understand the brand’s long and diverse history. Vox Senior Correspondent Alex Abad-Santos is something of a historian on the subject.
“Stanley is a 111-year-old company with a vaunted history of providing sturdy, insulated beverage containers to the likes of WWII pilots and blue-collar American men,” he puts in his own words.
But now, Stanley is shifting gears more towards its younger audience. Judging by the mass of people willing to wake up early and wait in line for hours to spend sometimes hundreds of dollars on Stanley items, the company is clearly succeeding.
This is not the first time that a fad has struck with both fists. Those who went to elementary school at the turn of the decade may recall Silly Bandz, another hit viral craze that captivated the nation. It seems that Stanley Cups are following in the footsteps of Silly Bandz. Seeing as though Stanley cups are sold for far higher prices, it seems that the Stanley company will receive much more profit.
Students feel that the Stanley Cups are not only highly fashionable, they’re effective. This greatly gives the items their mainstream appeal.
“They can keep hot drinks hot for seven hours, cold drinks cold for 11 hours and iced drinks iced for two days,” Abad-Santos explains.
This is very intriguing, especially for fans of bottles that can keep their beverages at a constant temperature.
With that being said, the commercialized cups also have also had a dark side recently. On Jan. 22, 2024, a Californian woman was arrested for stealing 65 Stanley tumblers valued at nearly $2,500. Additionally, fights have broken out in many stores across the country over limited-edition Stanley Cups, leading to some viral videos of the fights. This makes some feel that the fad has gotten out of hand, and could be dangerous. KFYR TV contributor Emily Van de Riet spoke on the matter.
“Police arrested the driver on charges of grand theft. … ‘While Stanley Quenchers are all the rage, we strongly advise against turning to crime to fulfill your hydration habits,’ the Roseville Police Department wrote in a Facebook post,”she said.
The cups are also popular with college students. Those who attend places such as LIU Post can often be spotted with a Stanley Cup or two. It is popular to collect the cups, seeing as though there are often limited editions. It is hard to say what causes people to desire said cups. However, it is clear that they are popular and will remain popular for the foreseeable future.
One can only speculate what the next big fad will be. What could come next after designer cups? Could it be a derivation of the “Silly Bandz” craze, or something completely different? It can be difficult to predict what will become the next big thing. Creating a successful fad is more a feat of luck than of skill. But looking at the Stanley Cups can possibly give one an idea of where to start; with useful products that happen to have limited editions.
Although a crossover would be intriguing, the Stanley Cup is not just a hockey phenomenon. It is also a popular fad that has had its ups and downs as of late. The future of the fad may not be certain, but for the present, it’s doing very well.
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