Masuk Free Press

If you are a human in their teenage years, it is nearly impossible for you to not be aware of the decadent “Stanley Cups.” These multi-colored, culturally iconic water bottles have exploded in popularity within the last couple of months. The effects of said explosion are visible even within Masuk.

Similarly to the prestigious hockey trophy of the same name, the Stanley Cup has emerged as a sort of status symbol at Masuk and across the country. In the wake of the previously popular “Hydro Flask”, the Stanley Cups have arisen as the dominant water bottle among teenagers, and more specifically teenage girls.

“I guess they’re just trendy because first of all they’re expensive, and I guess they are durable,” said Masuk freshman Sara Meachen.

Currently, the hashtag “Stanley” on TikTok has received around three billion views alone, illustrating the immense scale of this trend. But where did this craze come from?

Google Trends data shows that in the month of December 2023, the search term “stanley cup” began experiencing immense gain. This data point coincides with multiple instances of extremely viral Stanley Cup related internet sensations.

For example in November of the same year, just one month before the massive increase in Google searches, a video on TikTok went viral of a Stanley Cup surviving a catastrophic car accident. The footage shows a car burnt to a crisp, while showcasing the seemingly unharmed Stanley Cup within the cup holder of the car. The filmer explains how though this car was on fire the day prior, the Stanley was still in pristine condition. And to finish off the video, she shakes the cup to reveal that the ice within is still unmelted.

But one viral video cannot be fully attributed to the popularity of these cups. 

“They’re like really popular. They’re like all over social media,” said freshman Riley Thom.

More likely, this video stands as one of many which have come to serve as marketing for the Stanleys. Much of the Stanley Cup’s popularity can be sourced to something far more complex. A major shift in strategy.

Though the year of 2020 marked fear and panic through the COVID-19 Pandemic, it is also the year that entrepreneur Tarence Riley was appointed as the President of Stanley 1913 (the company behind the cups). Previously being employed at Crocs, Reilly understood how to use media and trends to attain profit. 

Through sponsorships and brand deals, many popular influencers came to endorse Stanley Cups. Furthermore, Reilly himself personally offered to send the woman behind the car fire video free Stanley Cups in addition to replacing her car. On her TikTok page (@danimarielettering) you can now find a video documenting the whole process, ending with an image of her standing in front of her brand new Mazda.

“I think TikTok just made it popular. Cause like everyone is obsessing over it and I guess the trend just caught,” said junior Gianna Petilo. 

In addition to the usage of social media marketing, Stanley shifted its primary demographic towards women. This is reflected in the wide array of stereotypically feminine color styles available.

“I swear every girl has one,” said freshman Olivia DeDenato.

Whether it is the marketing trickery or simply the color of the product, Stanley 1913 has successfully taken hold of the teenage girl demographic. Even here at Masuk, it has become difficult to find a room that does not have at least one Stanley Cup in it. And throughout the school day, there is a high chance you may hear the faint but piercing and inescapable shriek of a Stanley hitting the vinyl tiles of the school floor.