April 2024 Update: Reilly has returned to Crocs to run it’s Heydude brand (Croc’s $2.5b acquisition in 2022) as president. Given the momentum and success Reilly drove at Stanley brand there must have been significant compensation tied to getting Reilly back.
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By now we’ve all heard and seen the national viral takeover of the Stanley Quencher driven by TikTok, moms, Saturday Night Live, and seemingly every teen. We also know the man behind the success is Terence Reilly.
But did you know prior to his success at Stanley, he spent 10 years as CMO at Crocs driving their massive resurgence toward $2 billion+ in annual revenue?
At Stanley, their annual sales grew from $75 million in 2019 to $750 million in 2023 driven by the Stanley Cup growth.
We don’t want to regurgitate the fluff and common story points traditional media has covered about Stanley’s success. After in-depth research on the strategy Reilly executed at Stanley we have gleaned seven actionable strategies and tactics you can use to try replicating similar virality for your brand.
Let’s break them down and explore how you can implement these strategies effectively.
1. Expand Your Target Market
One of Stanley’s biggest growth drivers was broadening its audience, especially by catering to women—a demographic they previously overlooked. This approach wasn’t just about changing the product color: it was a complete shift in branding, marketing, and messaging.
How to implement this:
- Conduct deep demographic research to understand your potential untapped markets. Use surveys, social listening, and data analytics to identify groups that resonate with your product but are currently under-served.
- Develop products with these new demographics in mind. This might mean rethinking design, functionality, or even the brand’s voice to align better with the new audience.
- Craft targeted campaigns using platforms where this audience is most active. For Stanley, TikTok was pivotal in reaching younger consumers, while collaborations with mom influencers brought in women of all ages.
- Highlight diverse use cases for your product to showcase its versatility. Stanley demonstrated the cup’s appeal as a stylish hydration solution for both working moms and college students.
2. Find Your Fans
The right influencers can make or break your brand, but finding those who genuinely love and use your product can create a ripple effect of authenticity. Stanley’s success echoes Reilly’s earlier strategy at Crocs, where celebrities like Post Malone wore the shoes because they truly liked them.
How to implement this:
- Identify organic champions of your brand. Use tools like Mention or Brand24 to track who’s talking about your product without paid sponsorships.
- Pursue genuine partnerships by reaching out to influencers who already use your product, rather than relying solely on paid collaborations. These are often more impactful, as fans can sense when an endorsement is authentic. In Stanley’s case it was a genuine partnership with The Mom Edit.
- Leverage micro-influencers. While macro influencers provide broad exposure, micro-influencers (with 10k-100k followers) often have more engaged audiences. Collaborate with them to reach specific niches more effectively.
- Create moments worth sharing. Stanley’s quirky design, functional features, and limited-edition releases made it easy for fans to share their excitement on social media.
3. Embrace a Scarcity Model
Scarcity marketing isn’t a new concept, but Stanley mastered it. By releasing limited-edition versions of the Stanley Cup, they created a sense of urgency among consumers. This approach not only drives immediate sales but also boosts long-term brand loyalty.
How to implement this:
- Launch limited editions or seasonal releases. Whether it’s a new color, collaboration, or variation, build anticipation with teasers and countdowns on social media.
- Use a waitlist strategy. Encourage customers to join waitlists for upcoming releases, building a sense of exclusivity while collecting valuable customer data.
- Create pop-up sales. These can be either online or in-person, but they should be advertised as “one-time only” events to create buzz and urgency.
- Highlight scarcity in marketing messages. Phrases like “limited stock available” or “get it before it’s gone” can enhance consumer motivation to purchase quickly.
4. Use Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Data to Bolster Retail Positioning
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) data is a goldmine for understanding demand, refining your strategy, and negotiating with retail partners. Stanley used strong online sales figures to secure better in-store placement and visibility.
How to implement this:
- Analyze DTC sales trends to understand what’s working, which products are most popular, and which customer segments are most engaged.
- Share performance data with retail partners to demonstrate consumer demand. This helps you negotiate for better shelf space, promotional support, and higher visibility in stores.
- Optimize the DTC experience. Ensure your website is user-friendly, with clear calls-to-action and smooth checkout processes. The better the experience, the more loyal your customer base becomes, giving you stronger data to leverage.
5. Track Brand Strength with the “Airport Test”
Airports are melting pots of diverse consumers, making them prime spots to observe the organic presence of your product. If people are seen carrying or wearing your product there, it indicates your brand has achieved a level of intentional fashion choice.
How to implement this:
- Use on-the-ground observation. Visit busy locations like airports, train stations, and public events to gauge real-world adoption of your product.
- Analyze social media “in the wild” posts. Search for tags and mentions of your product in different locations to assess where it’s becoming part of consumers’ everyday lives.
- Incentivize fan-generated content. Run campaigns encouraging users to share where they take your product, creating a global presence and encouraging further adoption.
6. Be Patient with Brand Transitions
Transforming a brand’s image and perception takes time, often with internal resistance and some turnover. Stanley’s pivot from a male-dominated outdoor brand to a lifestyle brand embraced by women was a slow but deliberate shift.
How to implement this:
- Set clear long-term goals, knowing that cultural and brand shifts won’t happen overnight. Align your team around these goals, with clear milestones for tracking progress.
- Embrace turnover when necessary. A brand shift may lead to the loss of team members who are less aligned with the new vision. While challenging, this transition is sometimes necessary to create a team fully committed to the new direction.
- Create internal buy-in by sharing the vision through workshops, open discussions, and celebrating early wins to maintain momentum.
7. Focus on Organic Fan Content Over Paid Influencers
In a landscape over-saturated with influencer campaigns, authenticity is more valuable than ever. Stanley prioritized user-generated content over paid influencer marketing, creating more genuine buzz and engagement.
How to implement this:
- Encourage user-generated content (UGC) by resharing fan photos, offering incentives, or running contests that reward the best user posts.
- Amplify everyday stories rather than celebrity endorsements. Stanley’s approach was to showcase real users’ experiences, which resonated deeply with audiences looking for authenticity.
- Create a community around your product. Stanley fostered a sense of community by celebrating fans and making them feel like part of a broader movement. This sense of belonging increased brand loyalty and long-term engagement.
Final Takeaway: Cultivate Authenticity, Demand, and Diversity
The Stanley Cup’s success isn’t just about a viral moment—it’s the result of strategic growth tactics that emphasize underserved markets, organic demand, and patient brand evolution. Marketers aiming for similar virality should focus on creating genuine connections, strategically expanding their audience, and stoking demand through intentional scarcity.
Sit on these insights and see how you can tie them into your marketing frameworks.
If you want to read further, I recommend these two articles:
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