Welcome to Day 10 of the Best of YAP 2024!

Our team’s taking a little holiday break, but don’t worry—we aren’t going anywhere.

Because over this holiday period, you’ll be treated to one of our fave articles in your inbox each day.

So whether you’re sitting by the fire with a warm cup of cocoa (lookin’ at you, Northern hemi folks), or hitting the beach (for those of us having a summer Christmas), you can catch up on some reading and remind yourself of what a wild year 2024 was.

Catch ya in 2025!

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

How Stanley Cups 10X-ed Their Sales

It’s the craze that took teenage white girls worldwide by storm in 2023.

The craze that caused literal theft. Barren retail shelves. Per-person limits. Hiked prices. And even physical fights.

Honestly, Justin Bieber doesn’t even wield as much power as the iconic Stanley Cup.

When they blew up, the insulated steel tumblers were the latest in what seems to be a trend of merchandise mania. (Other examples include the PS5, Popeyes Chicken Sandwich and the Disney Dragon Popcorn Bucket).

The company jumped from a humble $70 million in annual sales to a projected $750 million PLUS in 2023.

Think Beanie Babies in the 90s but like, on crack.

So, how did a 110-year-old cup cause such a stir in mainstream culture?

They completely switched their positioning.

For a whole century, Stanley had a well-established name in the male-dominated outdoor and workwear space. So their appeal was niche.

Enter Terence Reilly. The genius that turned Crocs from the epitome of ugly shoe to a fashion staple. Reilly helped Stanley skyrocket sales using strategic partnerships such as The Buy Guide, a shopping focused outlet. He also used Instagram and influencers like Emily Maynard-Johnson to make the cups the item of the century.

Influencers kept the cup in our feeds, mostly via the hydration-focused subculture known as #watertok. This is where users share the ways in which they spruce up their water, touting the Stanley as a must-have.

Many online creators saw the potential for the cups to explode within the female market, and their promotion helped take its popularity to the next level. And the rest is history.

So what can we learn from Stanley's massive success?

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer