From Jobsites, Campsites to Viral Superstardom

Quenching the Public’s Thirst for a Feel-Good Story

In 1913, inventor William Stanley Jr. fused vacuum insulation and the strength of steel in one portable bottle, inventing the all-steel vacuum bottle. Hardware stores have been selling Stanley thermoses for about 100 years. While always seen as a reliable way to keep hot drinks hot, the famous tumbler from Stanley (a member of the Hardware Connection Century Club) has burst into the national spotlight. That onramp to celebrity started with a shift in marketing and got really, really hot after a car fire.

The Stanley Ferrostat Thermos from 1923 is on display at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Mass., which is close to Great Barrington, Mass., the site of inventor William Stanley Jr.’s lab. Photo credit: Stephanie Zollshan/Berkshire Eagle

This past November, TikTok user @danimarielettering shared a video of the aftermath of her car fire. During the video, she showed that while her car was burned out, her Stanley Quencher was intact and even still had ice in it. The video went viral with more than 84 million views and more than 50,000 comments.

Stanley President Terence Reilly seized the marketing moment and in a video offered to replace her car along with giving her some new Stanley cups. The marketing move turned out to be genius, generating more than 32 million views. Stanley’s revenue went from $70 million to $750 million and the brand went viral. Demand for Stanley cups has skyrocketed, with customers camping outside stores to buy the special edition Quencher for Valentine’s Day. The cup craze has gotten so much attention, “Saturday Night Live” parodied the phenomenon in an episode in January.

Released in late January, Stanley’s limited-edition, Lunar New Year-themed Year of the Dragon tumbler sold out in 30 minutes. Inspired by the mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac, the design includes camellia flowers and sakura blossom, a bright departure from the green Stanley thermos from earlier decades. 

Even prior to viral success, Stanley sought to expand its customer base. Stanley’s tumbler was previously a mainstay of jobsites and campsites, but in recent years the company has been shifting marketing and design efforts to attract female customers. New Quencher features include comfy handles, straws and a vast selection of colors.