When its 40-Quencher tumblers became the reusable water bottle of choice among influencers, Stanley 1913 devised a product and marketing strategy to help transcend its blue-collar and outdoor roots and target women and Gen Zers.
“2020 was a big inflection point where we thought there was even more potential for the brand,” Matt Navarro, global president of PMI WW Brands, LLC (Stanley’s parent company), told ADWEEK last month. “And we had this opportunity to introduce through color, through material, through finish, through innovation, [Stanley] to a whole new audience.”
Since then, the TikTok-famous colloquially coined “Stanley Cup” has seen many iterations.
Its marketing has evolved, too. In its early days, Stanley’s food and beverage gear was targeted squarely at workmen. From 1960 through 2020, the target audience was the outdoor recreation crowd.
In 2023, Stanley launched its first celebrity brand collaboration with country singer Lainey Wilson. Limited-edition collections with the Barbie and Wicked movies followed. Since then, the brand has leaned further into buzzy celebrity partnerships with cultural figures like singer Tyla, Lionel Messi, and now Post Malone.
The Post Malone collection marks Stanley’s largest celebrity product line collaboration to date. The range will go on sale from June 16 and includes a metal lunchbox, flask, a pint-sized beer cup, and of course, a Quencher.
The tie-up forms part of Kate Ridley’s, chief brand officer of PMI WW Brands, LLC, plan to sustain growth for Stanley, building on the brand’s newly-found virality.
Previously chief brand and product officer at Allbirds, Ridley joined Stanley in January 2025 as a marketing consultant. She joined the business full-time in April, succeeding chief product and sustainability officer Graham Nearn.
She’s now reading a plan to transform Stanley into a “premium lifestyle brand” through more culturally relevant collaborations, showing consumers it has more to offer beyond hydration products.
“To do that, we have to be connected to culture,” she told ADWEEK. “We need to be where our consumers are [and] be focused on what’s inspiring them, whether that is music, entertainment, sports, fashion, [or] beauty.”
The Post Malone collection builds on Ridley’s focus on product differentiation. Post Malone co-designed the range and worked closely with Stanley on the creative to promote them. Many of the products in the collection are camouflage and feature accessories representative of Malone’s style, such as a leather Quencher wrap with a pouch and bolo tie and various keychains.
“We wanted to go all the way and push the envelope on this one,” said Juan Navarro, CMF designer, brand partnerships, PMI WW Brands, LLC.
Pushing the Envelope
Per CNBC, Stanley’s annual sales from 2019 to 2023 surged from $73 million to $750 million, primarily driven by the success of its eponymous cup. The brand declined to disclose its more recent sales figures to ADWEEK, as it is privately owned by PMI WW Brands, LLC.
Looking ahead, Ridley said Stanley has more partnerships on the horizon centered around sports and fashion. In addition to collaborations, the brand plans to launch creative campaigns showcasing all of its product offerings.
“Talking more about our originality and sustainability are two big goals for us,” she said, “Ultimately, the Stanley mission is about fueling the human experience. You’re going to see some campaigns coming out that help personify what that means.”
Correction 6/9 at 4:04 pm ET: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified Kate Ridley, Juan Navarro, and Matt Navarro’s titles. All of them are employees of Stanley 1913’s parent company, PMI WW Brands, LLC, which has been updated and reflected in their titles accordingly.
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