The Stanley cup is taking over modern life – wherever you turn, both online and in person, you are likely to see one (and they’re not very hard to miss). A Stanley cup is a large metal flask that has the ability to keep your drink cold for hours. Most people are drawn to the functionality of the cup AND the aesthetics. When originally produced they were not selling very well, however this quickly began to change in 2019 when there was a sudden rise in sales as a result of a viral TikTok.
This TikTok featured a woman showing her car after a fire when she found that her Stanley cup had survived the blaze and the ice inside the cup was still frozen, highlighting the high quality of the cup. Overtime, more and more influencers shared the cup on social media and an increasing number of people wanted to buy it due to its good reputation and rave reviews on social media.
However, the craze has been taken too far as people are stealing them from stores, buying them in bulk, and fighting others to get them.
What has caused people to act in this way?
People constantly have the desire to buy new products as we live in a consumerist culture. The way the Stanley cup has been marketed by the company and influencers through social media has engaged a mass audience around the world. When a product trends on social media young people in particular feel the need to buy it to fit in with others their age. At times, this results in individuals doing whatever they need to get the product, which can explain why individuals started stealing them and fighting others to get them. Stealing is likely to be due to the higher price of Stanley Cups, ranging around £30 to £45, meaning many people may not be able to afford them but feel pressure to have one, doing whatever it takes.
It is important to remember that a key functionality of the Stanley Cups is their re-usability; consumers are asked to pay more for one cup in the hopes that it will reduce the purchasing of single use plastic bottles. When people are bulk buying multiple Stanley Cups, it diminishes this important aspect of the product and highlights the absurdity of this craze.
The Stanley cup craze is reflecting how people are acting aggressively to get the product due to it being portrayed as a necessity through social media, meaning people then go to great lengths to get the product. This reflects the nature of society as individuals are constantly consuming products no matter their moral beliefs.
Do you think the hype over the Stanley cup is worthy, or do you think that it has been taken too far?
Edited by: Anna Shipman
Designed by: Anna Shipman
