ASI Selects The Stanley Quencher As Its 2023 “Product of the Year”
Drinkware tumbler’s runaway success is proof of shrinking gap between promo and retail
| TREVOSE, PA – December 27, 2023 |
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The Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI), the foremost authority in the $25.8 billion promotional products industry, has officially crowned the Stanley Quencher as its coveted “Product of the Year” for 2023.
The 40-oz. Quencher H2.0 FlowState tumbler has rapidly emerged as the pinnacle of drinkware trends, seizing the spotlight as a viral TikTok sensation. Garnering hundreds of millions of views under the hashtags #StanleyTumbler and #StanleyCup, the Quencher has become a must-have status symbol in both retail and promo markets, popular for corporate gifting and team incentives, particularly among women.
C.J. Mittica, Editor-in-Chief of ASI Media, emphasized the Quencher’s significance, saying, “There was no debate when it came time to name the Product of the Year. The Stanley Quencher is a slam-dunk choice, as well as the exclamation point to drinkware’s incredible run this past decade. Its runaway success is a high-profile example of the shrinking gap between promo and retail.”
“The Stanley Quencher is a slam-dunk choice, as well as the exclamation point to drinkware’s incredible run this past decade,” said ASI’s C.J. Mittica
In a surprising turn of events, the Stanley Quencher, first introduced by Stanley in 2016, helped the company experience a resurgence over a century in the making. Originally known for its classic steel vacuum bottles, Stanley’s strategic shift towards trendy drinkware, led by President Terence Reilly, propelled the Quencher into unprecedented success.
Despite economic uncertainties, the $50 Quencher defied expectations, transcending recession fears and budget constraints to become a cultural phenomenon. Its popularity reached such heights that consumers camped outside Starbucks locations for the special-edition Stanley x Starbucks style, highlighting the Quencher’s cult-like following.
The Quencher’s impact reverberated across the promo products industry, with Top 40 supplier partners like HPG (asi/61966), Starline USA (asi/89320) and PCNA (asi/66887) actively working to meet soaring demand. ASI’s ESP data indicates a remarkable 4,500% increase in searches for Stanley through November 2023 compared to 2022.
Liz Haesler, PCNA’s chief merchandising officer, told ASI Media, “This has been unlike anything we’ve ever seen…I’ve never seen passion and enthusiasm for a brand like this before.”
Promo drinkware overall has been enjoying a hot streak, nearly doubling its market share since 2008, with drinkware in 2022 accounting for almost 10% of all promo products revenue with nearly $2.6 billion in sales.
For more information on the ASI Product of the Year, contact C.J. Mittica at cmittica@asicentral.com.
About ASI
The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI®; asicentral.com) serves a network of 25,000 suppliers, distributors and decorators in the $25.8 billion promotional products industry. ASI’s flagship product, the technology platform ESP®, manages the industry’s entire supply and marketing chain. ASI also produces award-winning digital and print content, live events and educational programs that enable companies in 53 countries to be more efficient, productive and profitable. ASI’s media and research operation provides the most authoritative business content in the industry, and the ASI Certification Program features 200+ live and online education courses for industry professionals. The company, family-owned and -operated since 1962, is proud to have been consistently ranked among the “Best Places to Work” in Philadelphia and Bucks County, PA.
