The Stanley cup, an insulated 40-ounce tumbler, has become a new phenomenon due to its increased popularity. Stanley cups have become the newest viral sensation of the year, thanks to influencers such as Emily Maynard Johnson (from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette), who contributed to the promotion of the popular brand. The efforts of the influencers involved in campaigning for Stanley ultimately earned the company an astounding revenue of $750 million alone in 2023.

For the third time since the company began in 1913, the internet’s most fashionable and durable water bottle collaborated with Starbucks to create the ultimate Stanley cup that captivated the eyes of all Stanley lovers. Together, Stanley and Starbucks released a limited-edition Winter Pink 40-ounce Stanley Quencher on January 3, 2024. The release of this new glittery pink cup with its sleek vertical Stanley x Starbucks logo led to mayhem at all Target locations nationwide, as customers scrambled to grab one. They were sold exclusively at Target for $49.95.

 

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Each Target location had about 50 of the Winter Pink Stanleys for sale, but they were first come first serve as to who would secure one. Eager to get their hands on one of the limited edition cups, customers camped out in front of Target stores overnight from about 1:30 AM until the store opened at 8:00 AM. There are a few reports of the campers ordering UberEats while they waited outside, anticipating the moment when the store opened. “There have even been fights breaking out over the tumblers, according to videos posted on TikTok. One video from user @reyahthelastdrago documents a dispute between a man and a woman over alleged line-cutting. Another from TikToker @4rayah.sunshine shares footage of a man jumping over a counter and attempting to steal some Stanley cups before another customer tackles him to the ground. According to the user, the police were called”  states Yahoo News.

Target passed out tickets to the customers waiting in line outside once morning came, and they could be exchanged for one Stanley per ticket, as the winter promo design was high in demand. Only a select few people were given a ticket, depending on their status in the waiting line. Once the doors had opened, customers eagerly and frantically arranged themselves in a line and rushed inside to claim a cup from Customer Service. “We are seeing an enthusiastic response to the Starbucks x Stanley Quencher and many stores have sold out,’ says the Starbucks rep. ‘It will not be restocked.” The Winter Pink Quenchers are now being resold on Mercari, Poshmark, and Ebay for as much as $300. Could the mayhem and profit that this release caused spark a new Stanley collaboration again soon in the future?