How the Discontinued Stanley Tumbler Became a Cult Phenomenon
And the Importance of Brand Positioning in CPG
From a failed camping mug to a trending sold-out and waitlisted phenomenon amongst female consumers, the Stanley tumbler is an incredible story of how an accidental brand extension into a new audience changed everything for a struggling product line.
The problem with many good-intentioned products that don’t make a splash or even a ripple in the markets is almost always a direct result of marketing and brand positioning or lack thereof.
Take the Stanley tumbler, for example–it’s a functional and useful product, keeping drinks cold for 12+ hours, heavy-duty, dishwasher safe, and long-lastingly huge yet conveniently portable. The look, the colors, the packaging, the brand messaging, it was all geared toward camping and outdoors enthusiasts. It turned out, the sweet spot for this handy mug wasn’t manly outings such as camping or hunting but women — the typical busy woman who could use a long-lasting beverage.
The story is quite fascinating and against all odds. The leadership team at Stanley saw no future in the tumbler and stopped manufacturing the cup altogether. Until a group of women discovered how useful it was, for running errands, for nursing mothers, for the nightstand, and the list goes on. The savvy ladies behind The Buy Guide lifestyle blog were gifting Stanley tumblers to each other, friends, and family and saw its potential.
Photo: ALEX DRUMMOND/INSTAGRAM
The Stanley tumbler was one of the first products to be featured and sold on The Buy Guide blog in November 2017. One influencer after another discovered the tumbler, shared it on Instagram, and the rest is history.
“We got so many pictures from teachers who all have them in their classrooms and from nurses’ stations with cups overflowing in different colors.”
Well, it was still an uphill battle even with the fanfare. Ashlee, Taylor, and Linley, the women behind The Buy Guide, tried and tried to get in touch with someone at Stanley to no avail. These entrepreneurial ladies took it upon themselves and invested in a bulk order of tumblers which quickly sold out. They were surpassing the brand’s sales exponentially.
After a few more rounds of sold-out tumblers, Stanley’s National Sales Manager, Lauren Solomon, noticed the discontinued product on Instagram. She met with The Buy Guide trio at an expo which eventually landed them a meeting with the CEO of PMI who owns the Stanley brand. With his support, the company decided to order more tumblers and continue the product line that had been discontinued.
The company began producing designs that were more female-focused, with different releases of pastel colors and new styles. They could hardly keep up with the demand. After The Buy Guide ladies convinced the leadership behind the Stanley brand to upgrade their website, the wild demand finally had its supply.
So, here we have an amazing story that seems very circumstantial or even coincidental, but there is a repeatable formula besides being in the right place at the right time. When you market a product to the right target audience at the right time and social context, it can reinvigorate a dead line or launch an entirely new one.
Another great example of this is Barbie by Mattell. As sales had been plummeting for many years on a once-upon-a-time breadwinning staple, the CEO asked his team this question, “why do we exist?” Which prompted a deep dive into their origin story, which they repurposed for the present-day market and social/cultural context. Now, Barbie has been greatly redesigned and is being widely embraced as it breaks down stereotypes and has become an inclusive toy for children of all backgrounds, skin colors, sex, shape, and size.
Photo: Barbie/Facebook/Mattel
Every brand needs to reevaluate and pivot once in a while. Even better, constantly. Is your marketing team resting on its laurels? Or are you proactively embracing the social and cultural climate of today? Are you extending your products to the right audience at the right time?
I love hearing success stories like the Stanley tumbler and Barbie’s continued legacy, and the brand positioning and framework behind them is the catalyst for growth and change. Could your company use a brand positioning workshop or does your marketing team need their creative fire stoked with a training session? I’d love to be a part of your brand’s story, check out my services and send me a message today!
