The New Starbucks X Stanley Tumbler Might Bring Chaos Again
The Stanley tumbler obsession remains strong, but is Starbucks ready this time?
At the beginning of 2024, the hydration nation made itself known. What I mean is that people obsessed with Stanley water tumblers swarmed the aisles of Target and Starbucks in pursuit of a specifically colored cup. Now, as detailed in a press release, Starbucks has just dropped a brand-new spring-themed version in collaboration with Stanley, and the coffee chain may want to prepare for another wave of hydration fanatics.
As part of Starbucks' Mother's Day drinkware collection, it has released a 40-ounce Stanley Quencher in the color Sky Blue. The blue tumbler sells for $49.95 and is available at Starbucks locations nationwide. To the not-so-thirsty consumer, this would appear to be just a light blue tumbler with a high price tag. And that is absolutely correct.
However, the chaos that was brought on by the pink and red versions of this same tumbler back in January would say otherwise. At the end of December 2023 and beginning of January of this year, both Target and Starbucks released pink and red limited-time Stanley Quencher tumblers. The exclusivity of the tumblers, the already-growing popularity of Stanley as a brand, and the red and pink colors being released just ahead of Valentine's Day made for extremely successful drops. People lined up outside stores to the point where they were told there was a limit to how many they could purchase at once. Once the tumblers were sold out and Starbucks had made it clear it would not be restocking, listings for the cups cropped up on the secondary market for as high as $3,000.
@vincentmarcus Camped out at Target for the new viral pink Starbucks Stanley cup thing for my kiddo. Ridiculous? Yes. Fun? Also yes...😜#StanleyCup
If you doubt the trendiness of these tumblers even for a second, just consider the California woman who stole $2,500 worth of them. The woman reportedly took a shopping cart full of the tumblers right out to her car despite store workers attempting to stop her. When police pulled the woman over, images from the scene showed the car's passenger seat and trunk filled with the tumblers. In total, the woman was accused of stealing 65 Stanley tumblers.
Now, there's no way to truly guarantee a frenzy similar to the Valentine's Day debacle will ensue from this powder blue container. (That is one pretty tumbler color.) But, my advice to Starbucks is keep those backroom shelves stocked like a hydration apocalypse is coming because, well, it might be.