Starbucks' Stanley Promo Shows Power of Premium Brands

Starbucks seasonal drinkware already does pretty well with customers. When there's a holiday tied in, they do even better. But by creating co-branded drinkware with one of the most sought-after brands in the space right now (thanks to social media fad-status), Starbucks has reached another level.

The coffee chain just released a red holiday-themed Stanley 40 oz. cup, which retails for $49.95 and is reportedly flying off the shelves at Starbucks locations, as well as Starbucks locations within Target and Kroger stores.

Folks were waking up early to get their hands on them (and probably grab some coffee, considering the early alarm clock).

Behold the Starbucks Stanley. A journey to 6 Starbucks before 6 AM for holiday glory. pic.twitter.com/LtmzNxZIYD

— Chris Mar (@cmar) November 4, 2023

The branding is minimal, just the Stanley logo with Starbucks alongside of it. No all-over holiday-themed design. It lets the two brand names speak for themselves.

And speak they do, because the products are selling on sites like eBay for hundreds already.

Starbucks customers are snapping up $50 Stanley red holiday tumblers and reselling them for as much $300 https://t.co/Bxel5OhOAl

— Business Insider (@BusinessInsider) November 4, 2023

Drinkware fads come and go, with new companies becoming the new it-brand seemingly overnight thanks to TikTok or Instagram fame. Right now, Stanley is one of the must-have brands.

But, this isn't just about Stanley or Starbucks. It's about what a promotional product becomes when a client's logo is placed alongside a well-known brand. Think about apparel with the Carhartt logo, or a tech item with Bose. People recognize these brands and trust them, so your clients' logos get to piggyback off of that brand impression.

On the other side of drinkware, we'll be staying tuned to see how Starbucks brands its single-use drinkware this holiday season, for as long as those still last.