How Stanley Is Doing PR Right
You may be familiar with the Stanley Tumbler epidemic that is currently taking over the world. I am guilty of owning two myself. We’ve seen the new water bottle-to-own trend happen over and over. First Hydroflask, then Yeti, and now Stanley. Ultimately, it is hard to keep up with the newest trend. Who’s to say that these water bottles do what they claim anyway? Most brands claim to keep water ice cold for an ungodly amount of time. It makes you wonder- do they expect us to believe that their water bottle brand is like no other? I can say that these companies, like Stanley, are truthful in what they claim to do for the most part. Yet, I was not prepared for the degree to which this is true after viewing a TikTok from my “For You Page” a couple of weeks ago.
The Stanley Situation
I was scrolling for an unhealthy amount of time, per usual, when I came across a video of a user showing her car that was burnt to a crisp from an unfortunate fire. What was the only thing that survived the fire? Her Stanley tumbler cup. Not only was the cup fully intact, but the cup still had ice cubes in it. How is that even possible? It truly blew my mind. This goes to show the quality of Stanley’s products. However, that isn’t even the best part of this story. President of Stanley, Terence Reilly, replied to the user’s video offering to replace her vehicle. Yes, the man who is busy running a multi-million dollar company took the time to respond to a girl who just had her life flipped upside down and offered to flip it back.
Sourced from @daniellemarielettering on TikTok
Sourced from @stanleybrand on TikTok
Stanley Spoke Up
This good deed must have sent good karma Stanley’s way because his response video blew up on the internet and had everyone talking. Under the video of President Reilly’s response, many users commented how they had been persuaded to purchase a Stanely cup. An article by the New York Post shared viewers' responses to the company’s generosity.
“They responded, that’s freaking awesome. I’m gonna have to buy a Stanley now,” one stated.
“Aaaaaaand going to buy my first Stanley – what a fantastic company,” said another viewer.
A Stanley Success
This situation was an all-around stellar PR move for the company. By taking a personable approach in an unfortunate situation, Stanley was able to connect with its consumers. Top executives of other companies most likely would have never seen the video, and they definitely would not have taken the time to sit down and personally respond in addition to graciously replacing the girl’s car.
Responding directly on TikTok generates good PR for Stanley because of the widespread coverage that the video got. It had people talking in a great way about the brand as a whole. I think many companies don’t realize how small acts like this can gain them public favor and approval. Sure, not every company has the budget to buy their customers a car, but simply showing you care about the people buying your products goes a long way. I may not be proud of all the money I’ve spent on these reusable water bottles, but I am proud to support a company that values its customers.
About Kendall
Kendall Sedestrom is a junior studying Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Digital Studies. In addition to being an Account Associate with a Design Emphasis for the firm, she serves on GVPRSSA’s Executive Board as VP of Professional Development. Outside of schoolwork, she enjoys taking the rec fitness classes on campus and spending time with friends and family.
