Nightline: Exclusivity helps drive the Stanley x Starbucks quencher craze
UC marketing professor says fear of missing out motivates consumers
The limited-edition nature of the Stanley x Starbucks quenchers and a fear of missing out seem to be driving the craze that’s exploding across social media, a University of Cincinnati marketing professor told ABC's “Nightline.”
Shoppers have waited for hours in line at Target stores to purchase the 40-ounce tumblers, often documenting their experiences on apps such as TikTok. The cups come in a variety of colors, with pink and red Galentine’s Collection models in particular demand.
“It’s crazy also that we as consumers will pay for that, but the reason we’re paying for it is precisely because it is difficult to get or maybe even impossible to get,” said Joshua Clarkson, PhD, the Arthur Beerman Professor of Marketing in UC’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business. “And nothing against Stanley but certainly the question could be raised, how popular would this be if it had never been limited edition or if were easy for people to get?”
The tumblers have been so popular, “Nightline” reported, that Stanley’s annual sales are projected to increase to $750 million or more in 2023 from a previous mark of $70 million a year.
For people how wait long hours to obtain one of the coveted cups, Clarkson hopes the Stanley quenchers provide a good memory.
“We are seeing consumers go to extreme lengths to obtain these cups,” he said. “And so that Stanley now not only serves as a water container, but it also serves as a reminder of a hopefully special time in people’s lives.”
Featured image at top: A hand holding a Stanley tumbler. Photo/Natilyn Photography via Unsplash
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Nightline: Exclusivity helps drive the Stanley x Starbucks quencher craze
January 23, 2024
The limited-edition nature of the Stanley x Starbucks quenchers and a fear of missing out seem to be driving the craze that’s exploding across social media, a University of Cincinnati marketing professor told ABC's “Nightline.” Shoppers have waited for hours in line at Target stores to purchase the 40-ounce tumblers, often documenting their experiences on apps such as TikTok. The cups come in a variety of colors, with pink and red Galentine’s Collection models in particular demand.
USA Today: Why people are going crazy for Stanley x Starbucks quenchers
January 16, 2024
Limited edition products, such as the Stanley x Starbucks quenchers that have taken social media and Target stores by storm, can play to consumers’ psyche, a University of Cincinnati marketing professor told USA Today. By labeling a product as limited edition or exclusive, companies can increase the item’s perceived value, said Joshua Clarkson, PhD, the Arthur Beerman Professor of Marketing in UC’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business.
Washington Post: A tote bag is the latest must-have product
March 12, 2024
The latest “it” product that’s captured the public’s attention is a $2.99 tote bag from grocery store chain Trader Joe’s, according to the Washington Post, which turned to a University of Cincinnati professor to explain the phenomenon.