How Drinkware Became The New Fashion Accessory, According To Stanley

These days, the hottest style accessory is not the “it” bag of the season or a new pair of shoes; it’s the water bottle you use at work, at school, in your social media posts, or wherever else life takes you. Reusable water bottles have long been a subtle indicator of the user’s lifestyle and aesthetic (think an outdoor lover always sporting a water bottle popular amongst hikers) but things have really kicked up a notch in the past few years, with drinkware becoming a key part of one’s style. And no brand is more aware of this than Stanley.

Stanley has been crafting reusable thermoses and insulated drinkware since 1913, but they’ve soared to new heights in recent years due to the viral success of their Quencher H2.0 FlowState™ Tumbler, which you’ve no doubt seen a number of influencers, friends, and celebrities like Adele and Carrie Underwood rock. To get more insights onto how Stanley is using influencer marketing to extend their success and why the reusable water bottle is the new “it” fashion accessory amongst Gen Z and Millennial audiences, I spoke with Matt Navarro, the Global President of Stanley.

On Stanley’s Recent Viral Moment

When I asked Navarro what he most attributes to Stanley’s recent successes, he pinpoints social media as a major reason why Stanley, and the Quencher in particular, have surged in popularity, “With product interest taking hold through our early adopter affiliates, influencer, and tastemaker approach.” The popularity rose from there as “demand continued to grow organically via word of mouth, social shares and community engagement on social.”

He notes that Stanley’s social strategy “embraces cultural moments and trends” and is extremely active on TikTok and Instagram where Stanley’s core audience is active as well. They’ve used social media to establish a strong community for their customers to encourage longterm brand loyalty. “We partner with like-minded content creators to serve as megaphones for the brand who bring their authentic point of view to their content,” he elaborates, “allowing us to go deep on brand and product storytelling.”

On Long-Lasting Brand Success

But don’t call Stanley’s current viral popularity a flash in the pan. Navarro notes that the brand is “focused on longevity over short-lived hype” with products that are “built for life” and become part of consumers’ day-to-day lives. With a company that has been around since 1913, long-lasting brand success has been and continues to be a main driver behind Stanley’s strategy. “We are thinking about success for the next 100 years and how to be great caretakers of this brand,” Navarro explains.

They’re also focusing on expanding with new product offerings and innovations, like the recently-launched Stanley Cross Bottle, which perfectly blends function and fashion. Which leads to my next topic…

On Stanley As The New Fashion Accessory

Not only has the Quencher become a veritable style statement, but Stanley has further capitalized on that success by collaborating with fashion brands like LoveShackFancy, stylish celebs like Olivia Rodrigo, and even the most iconic fashion icon herself, Barbie™. Navarro shares that, “As a part of our brand strategy, we tap into the cultural zeitgeist and are inspired by the brands and creators who are consumer-obsessed just like we are,” and these fun collaborations have provided their customers with new ways to showcase their unique style and personality while showing off their Stanley. It also demonstrates how the brand continually has its pulse on what’s trending in the larger fashion and pop culture world.

Seeing the interest that their customers have with the intersection between the functional products that Stanley offers and ways to showcase their personal style, the brand has introduced new products like the Cross Bottle that gives customers a way to literally wear their Stanley and carry it hands-free. They’ve also recently introduced a collection of soft goods called the All Day Collection that features stylish coolers and backpacks that can be used for picnics, hikes, school lunches, and more. The brand has even introduced an apparel line to provide yet another way for its fans to showcase their love of Stanley in style.

The Quencher might have been the product that catapulted Stanley to the top of this current moment of drinkware as fashion accessory, but it’s clear the brand is set up for longterm success with its continued innovations and expansions of both their drinkware and accessories offerings.