Target shoppers’ excitement over the ‘Wicked’ Stanley cups shows buzzy partnerships are the way forward for the water bottle brand

• On Sunday, Stanley and Target released a collection of “Wicked”-themed Quencher cups.
• Shoppers documented themselves waiting in line for hours to buy the pink and green cups.
• Stanley should continue leaning into partnerships to maintain its success.

Target and Stanley released their latest limited-edition collaboration on Sunday, delighting water bottle enthusiasts and musical fans alike.

Stanley’s newest insulated cups were inspired by the upcoming “Wicked” film, which will be released in theaters on November 22.

The collection included the $55 40-ounce and $35 20-ounce Quenchers in Elphaba green and Glinda pink. As of Tuesday, they were completely sold out on Target’s website.

Despite reports that customer interest in Stanely may be starting to wane, shoppers flocked to Target in hoards to get their hands on the cups before they sold out, indicating that Stanley should lean into buzzy partnerships to keep its momentum going.

Hours of waiting

After the Quenchers dropped, videos of shoppers lining up outside Targets and storming through stores to get the cups popped up on social media.

The videos were reminiscent of those that appeared after Target and Stanley released their Valentine’s Day collaboration in January.

Some of those making videos appeared to be Stanley collectors, while others were made by “Wicked” fans. There were also shoppers who didn’t fall into either category.

Alicia Briggs, 36, has never seen “Wicked” or “The Wizard of Oz,” but that didn’t stop her from heading to Target at 5:20 a.m. on Sunday.

“I liked it because it didn’t have anything overtly ‘Wicked,'” Briggs said of the Quenchers, adding that she loves pink and green.

Briggs decided to drive to two different Targets with her daughters on Sunday, waiting in line for two hours to get the cups. She secured the 40-ounce cup in both colors and the 20-ounce Glinda Quencher.

Though she isn’t familiar with “Wicked,” Briggs said she loves the cups, sipping out of her Elphaba Quencher as she video chatted with Business Insider. They also made her more excited to see the film.

“The marketing, as well as the two leading actresses, are definitely making it something interesting that I want to see,” she said.

So far, the marketing for “Wicked” has been reminiscent of the strategies for projects like “Barbie” and “Bridgerton,” with everything from suitcases and makeup to toys and, of course, cups promoting the film.

Savvy marketing can help Stanley

The enthusiasm over the “Wicked” Quencher collection comes after a banner year for Stanley.

Love for its Quenchers has been steadily growing since 2020, with CNBC reporting that the cups made Stanley a $750-million-a-year business. The business seemed to reach a fever pitch in early 2024, with people collecting and reselling the cups.

However, a new survey by Piper Sander found that some teens are losing interest in the cups, opening the door for other buzzy water bottle brands like Owala to take its place.

Owala and other Stanley competitors, like HydroFlask, have already capitalized on the momentum Stanley lost after some consumers grew concerned that its bottles contained lead, though experts said the amount of lead in the cups isn’t a hazard to users.

But as the excitement around the “Wicked” collection indicates, Stanley can maintain its popularity with buzzy collaborations.

For instance, in July, Stanley partnered with Olivia Rodrigo on a Quencher inspired by her album “Guts,” and according to Influencer Intelligence, it sold out in a matter of hours.

It also quickly sold out of the floral-patterned cups it made with LoveShackFancy in August and the eight cups it released in honor of Barbie’s 65th anniversary in September. However, as of Tuesday, it was still releasing new batches of its hot-pink Barbie cup daily.

By working with recognizable brands and public figures — particularly those that appeal to a female audience — Stanley can keep ahead of its competitors.