You've probably already seen this fuss. It's been a shopping craze on social media as customers go wild (literally) for red and bright pink Stanley tumblers.
Why are some customers queuing for hours for these tumblers when they already have multiple drinkware options at home? In short, FOMO, or fear of missing out. It's scary. More on that later.
Stanley, the popular tumbler that keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold, has a fan following because it's not afraid to think outside the box (juice) and customers appreciate it. I am.
But the brand wasn't always known for being creative.
For decades, Stanley was known for its ubiquitous army green thermos flasks marketed primarily to blue-collar workers. Today, the company is finding great success in connecting with a new demographic: women.
Stanley listened to their new female customer base to improve their product and changed everything.
Here's what we can learn from their victories.
Connect with new audiences
Three female co-owners run the review site The Buy Guide. They happen to love his 40-ounce quencher from Stanley. According to an article in Retail Dive, TBG posted about his love for Quencher on TBG's Instagram page in 2017. The page is made up of 178,000 female followers, mainly between the ages of 25 and 45. When they thought the product might be discontinued, the trio encouraged their followers to buy Quencher and told the company they should keep it.
Matt Navarro, Stanley's senior vice president of global commerce, told Retail Dive that while the product isn't going away, “tumblers weren't a priority” at the time.
Things quickly changed once the brand realized how much women loved Quencher.
Colorful quenchers are now prominently displayed on Stanley's social media platforms and website thanks to TBG, with a focus on girlies.
lesson? Listen to your new audience. The TBG team encouraged Stanley to expand its product offerings and appeal to more women. Stanley has done that by revolutionizing the 40-ounce quencher, improving visibility and adding a wide range of fun and popular colors. TBG also connected Stanley to affiliate marketing for her. This is an engagement win that opens the door for brands to work with more influencers and get in front of their audiences. Stanley struck while the iron was hot. The brand took advantage of TBG's smart marketing proposition to target women and enter affiliate marketing.
prepare to pivot
Not only did Stanley embrace a new audience, but they also took advice from women and changed the way they marketed their products. According to Retail Dive, Stanley has gone from describing its products as “occasional items” to positioning them on social media as everyday items that can complement customers' aesthetics. Don't lock yourself into a product or messaging strategy. Try new ways to add angle to what you say and sell, especially on social media.
Stanley has done just that, showing fans on social media how to use Stanley products beyond what was originally known in 1913.
The brand's posts encourage customers to use quenchers and other drinkware to complement their style, lifestyle, and even mood. We also offer creative suggestions for how to use Stanley products, such as putting mini ice cream cartons (mints win!) into Stanley cups in the summer.
The brand's decision to market itself to newer customer groups has made its products more appealing and exciting. Nowadays, being able to purchase a tumbler that matches your personality and style is a big draw for brands.
In addition to posting about his cool quenchers, Stanley also showed his heartfelt side when a customer's car was damaged in a fire last fall, but the Stanley Cup inside was intact. Stanley President Terrence Riley immediately sprung into action, posting on TikTok that the brand wanted to buy new cars for customers and send them Stanley Cups.
“We've never done anything like this before and probably never will, but we would love to replace your vehicle,” Riley said, adding that customers can DM for more information. He added that it is necessary to check.
Out of more than 65,000 comments, one Irish commenter said he didn't know about Stanley until he saw the video, but wanted to buy it because of the brand's generosity. Others said they didn't need or want the tumbler, but were buying it for someone else because of the video.
Riley could have just sent his customers a bunch of Stanley and called it a day. Or expressed on their website how reliable Stanley is and nothing more. But Riley gave the brand a human face, posting on social media about how Stanley is there for its customers and how its drinkware is taking a hit. You may not be able to part with your car, but find ways to connect with consumers in unexpected ways that are appropriate.
Create major FOMO
Stanley announced two new Quencher products for its Galentine line that will be sold exclusively at Target on December 31, CBS News reports. On January 3, Stanley also announced a “Winter Pink” tumbler in collaboration with Starbucks at Target, but it is no longer on sale. This drinkware is sold in limited quantities to customers or households, amplifying the feeling of FOMO. Some products sold out online, resulting in customers rushing to get their hands on their own Stanley before it was too late. According to CBS News, this led to “shopping chaos.”
Limited edition products are serious FOMO bait, appealing to people's instinctive desire to be the first to have the latest and greatest items. Plus, who doesn't love bragging?
“People want scarcity and exclusivity, and they want it because they want to show it off,” Clay Parnell, president of Parker Avery Group, told Modern Retail. “It's like they influence each other.”
No one wants to be left behind. When the product launches ahead of Valentine's Day (forget chocolate!), customers will be eager to get their hands on at least one of the popular colors before the holiday arrives.
Be willing to reinvent yourself and your products to stay relevant. Be open to audience feedback and look for opportunities to connect authentically and creatively with your customers. Dig deep and look for unique ways to surprise, captivate, and grow with your audience.
Attend Ragan's Social Media Conference at Disney March 27-29 to hear more about how to connect your audience on social media.
Sherri Kolade is a writer and conference producer at Ragan Communications. She enjoys watching old movies, reading, and building an authentically curated life. Follow her on LinkedIn. Do you have a great PR/Communication She speaker at a Ragan event in mind? Email sherrik@ragan.com.
