In scenes reminiscent of the Black Friday rushes of yesteryear, online videos show shoppers across the country, including in some parts of Ohio, rushing the shelves and lining up early at Targets.
The hot item worth getting up before dawn for? A pink mug that costs $50.
The pink Stanley cups were part of a limited collaboration between Target and Starbucks. It will not be restocked and is only available for sale “while supplies last.” Target's website shows that the cups are already sold out at stores around Columbus. If you really need one, your best bet is probably the secondary market — eBay or Facebook — where mugs fetch up to $100.
Viral videos showed hordes of customers grabbing the cups from a store shelf. Another TikTok user filmed herself lining up at Target early in the morning, getting a ticket and exchanging it for a pink Stanley.
If the words “Stanley mug” bring to mind a sturdy green insulated mug suitable for a camping trip, you're not alone – several TikTok users have posted videos claiming that their request for a Stanley mug is for this Christmas old fashioned thermos appears under the tree.
Stanley launched its more modern “Quench” line of sleek straw cups in 2016.
The cups are available in different colors and from small to large to huge. The most popular size is the 40-ounce Stanley Adventure Quencher H2.0 FlowState mug for $45, but mugs are small at 15 ounces and also large at 64 ounces.
What's the fuss about these Stanley Cups?
Although the Stanley Cup was released in 2016 during a boom in health-conscious water drinking, it would take years for it to achieve viral acclaim. 2016 was the year of the S'well, an insulated wine glass shaped like a wine bottle that came in a variety of colors and patterns.
Then in 2019, the Hydro Flask was the hot accessory. In contrast to the narrow S'well, ice cubes fit easily into the wide opening of the Hydro Flask. Young people posted videos of water bottles covered in stickers.
But according to millions who have posted about the Stanley Cup, this new cup is the one to rule them all. Users have mentioned the straw and handle, which are suitable for both right- and left-handed use, as well as the fact that the bottles fit easily into car cup holders, unlike the wider Hydro Flask.
Stanley Cup trend: Shoppers clear shelves at Target stores
Shoppers at a Target in Arizona rushed to snap up the special edition red and pink “Galentine's Day” Stanley mugs.
The TikTok effect
The mug was a popular gift item for the holidays and featured numerous gift guides for influenced tweens.
Another viral moment came when a woman's car caught fire. In a video posted to TikTok, she showed that there was still ice in her Stanley cup, which had been sitting in the cup holder. The company boss was so impressed that he offered to buy the woman a new car.
Stanley also played a major role in a viral food trend over the summer: WaterTok. The divisive trend saw women, in particular, mixing syrups and ice cubes with water in their Stanley cups, leading to debates about consumerism and how much you can put in a bottle of water before it stops being water.
However, the cup's obsessive following has sparked backlash. Videos of Stanley fans with rainbows of Stanleys in the kitchen have drawn accusations of overconsumption – after all, how many water bottles do you need?
It remains to be seen whether the Stanley has any staying power or will go the way of the S'well and the Hydro Flask. Discount retailers like Marshalls and TJ Maxx already carry numerous Hydro Flask cups and Stanley lookalikes.
Some water bottle lovers have already moved on. Owala's 40-ounce straw cup, $38, was featured in viral videos this year as a cheaper, low-profile alternative to water cups.
And the Owala, as users point out, is leak-proof.