From Swell To HydroFlasks to Stanleys, See How Water Bottles Have Marked Internet Eras
The internet has been positively buzzing with its newest obsession: the Stanley cup. This past holiday season, a Stanley cup was one of the most popular gifts with its main demographic between tween girls and suburban moms. After this video went viral back in November 2023, more and more people have started buying the (what seems to be indestructible) Stanley cups.
The video depicts a woman’s car after catching on fire as she shows the wreckage with the Stanley still sitting proudly in the cup holder, fully intact. She shakes the cup a little to show that her ice and beverage survived the fire, even if her car did not. The president of Stanley also made a video in response, offering to send her new Stanleys and replace her car, which generated even more buzz around the company.
So what’s so special about these cups?
First and foremost, its size and insulation. As we saw in the video above, many praise it for being able to keep their drinks cold for long periods and its massive size also saves them from having to make multiple trips to get their daily water intake. Another thing that makes them stand out is the shape. With a smaller bottom and wide top that features a big handle and straw sticking out, the design is perhaps not the first that would come to mind for a water bottle. The straw means that you must keep it upright at all times and the handle makes it hard to fit into any backpack. The small bottom, however, allows for the cup to be put in cup holders, all while not compromising its ability to hold large amounts of water. However, as we talk about all the special features of these cups, it is important to remember that those were not what catapulted them to mainstream media.
Originally, these cups were made for those who worked with heavy machinery however, when they forged an affiliate partnership with The Buy Guide (a popular product recommendation site), the cup began to gain more traction, specifically with millennial women and new mothers who appreciated its practicality. As Stanley continued to strike deals with influencers to market their cups, they also began releasing more and more colours. While many featured a signature matte pastel look, the continuous introduction of new colors kept people wanting to buy more, prompting many to start their own collections.
While one may wonder why someone needs so many water bottles of the same kind, it is important to note that this is not the first time we have seen this happen. Water bottles are not new to being a symbol of social status and a reflection of internet eras. Back in 2019, Hydroflasks were the hallmark symbol of the VSCO girl. S’well was the water bottle that began this shift in landscape, taking it from a commodity to an affordable luxury. From then on, every few years or so, a new water bottle becomes the latest craze, introducing a new way of drinking water to the public.
#WaterTok
With social media, these cycles of water bottle trends have begun to speed up. We all know that TikTok has a niche for everything and water is not an exception. WaterTok videos range from people showing off their collections to giving unsolicited health advice to doing everything in their power to make water less boring. All that’s to say that people should be able to do whatever they want with their water, it really doesn’t affect anyone other than them. On the other hand, the videos showing large collections of reusable water bottles signify that there may be a deeper societal problem at hand.
Consumerism
As people wait in long lines and fight to get limited edition cups (see: Stanley x Starbucks limited edition collab), it is clear what the power of TikTok and influencer marketing has done for this brand. People constantly are trying to get the latest bottle or the most water bottles to not only show off their status but also prove themselves as someone who loves Stanley cups. Something else that may be contributing to the rise of consumerism is the idea of retail therapy and objects as emotional support. While buying things as a treat for yourself and having an emotional attachment to and object that you may have had for a long time is not a novel concept, the popularity and extent of these practices might have been taken too far. Always buying the trendy things can be extremely unsustainable in the long run because many of these things aren’t cheap and it adds up pretty quickly.
There is also a bit of irony to point out with these cups, as they are marketed as reusable and indestructible yet is something that people continuously go out of their way to buy more of. This is simply going to lead to more waste in landfills.
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