From Yeti to Hydroflask to Stanley, water bottles have for decades had an impact on our societal norms. The function of these different brands of water bottles remains the same. Each of these bottles have an easy-to-use lid while keeping your drink cool or warm. But what makes one brand stick out from another? 

   Around every two years, a new reusable water bottle hits the market and puts all other water bottles to shame. Back in 2020, that water bottle was the Hydroflask, used primarily by what people called “VSCO girls.” VSCO girls are named after the photography app VSCO and are known for wearing oversized t-shirts, Birkenstocks, and using Hydroflask water bottles. Before that in 2015, it was the S’well bottle. The new bottle on the block now appears to be the Stanley Cup. Although the brand had its uprising to fame not too long ago, the company has been around since 1913. Back in the day, the cup was most used by blue collar workers. The all- steel double-wall vacuum bottle kept the workers’ coffee and other liquids hot during the working day. So how did it go from being a staple in the working classes’ lunch box, to an everyday accessory in every teen girl’s hand? 

   The answer is social media. Influencers from all over shared this water bottle online and deemed it the “clean girl water bottle” back in the summer of 2022, when the Stanley Cup was popularized for its eco-friendliness and sleek look. Now it seems everyone has one of these Stanleys.  

   “We all just came back from break and it’s like every girl has one now,” junior Hudson MacNeal commented. 

   The newest edition to the Stanley water bottle collection is the new limited edition “Pink Quencher Cup,” which is a collaboration between Starbucks and Stanley. This cup has sparked interest around the U.S and has already been sold out in many stores. 

    Although many students at Blackman High School own a Stanley, some just don’t have a preference for what water bottle they use during the day. When asked do you own a Stanley cup, junior Gwen Hill responded,  

   “No, I just don’t get the hype for different water bottles that do the same thing.”  

   So, what really is the big deal about this water bottle if others that are much cheaper do the same thing? 

    As the new year begins, the Stanley cup still holds the top of the charts in net worth with $750 million in sales in the year 2023 and still going up in 2024. What water bottle will take the reins this year and take over the Stanley Cup’s spot to be the newest most popular water bottle?