Brand Positioning With the Inventor’s Last Name and a Mythical Bear

Stanley 1913 is a familiar brand that has successfully positioned itself with it’s name and logo throughout all of the brands life cycles. Founded in 1913, the inventor of the product, William Stanley Jr. became the name behind the brand.

The logo, which has had a few iterations over the years, is a nod to the inventor and the epic tales that are told by people with their Stanley. “Nobody else was there to corroborate these adventures, and those who were,(?) may have had a few too many to remember. And so, the mythical bear was born” (The Stanley Bear Story | Stanley, 2019). The bear, Stan, is a symbol that reminds people that the best stories are the ones that get better over time, just like the brand has.

Examining Stanley’s Mission

For over 100 years, Stanley has “been there for all your adventures where you make the most of your world and will be with you on your journey as we have with generations past, while opening the door to an awe-inspiring future” (Stanley, 2025).

The Stanley logo succeeds in communicating the brand identity, a classic yet recognizable type and mascot. This logo has stood throughout the duration of their existence, yet remains to be flexible and fresh and has proven to be future ready. The simple design provides them with the versatility to use their logo consistently throughout their product lines to further emphasize the brand. ‘Stan’ is a symbol that conveys their values that were “built on invention, innovation and inspiration with a timeless spirit that complements your wild imagination” (Stanley, 2025).

“Brand durability is achieved through a commitment to the equity of a central idea over time and the capacity to transcend change” (Wheeler & Meyerson, 2024), and Stanley has done just that with their branding over the past 100+ years.

Naming Strategy

Selecting a name for a brand is a strategic process that requires experience in linguistics, marketing, research, and trademark law (Wheeler & Meyerson, 2024). The brand name Stanley is a strategy in itself, originating from the brands inventor, William Stanley Jr. Stanley is a pioneer in the thermal beverage storing market, effectively positioning the name as a brand leader.

Using the inventor’s last name as a brand name most often results in mitigating legal risks around the name itself. In this rare case of 113 year old Stanley 1913, the 183 year old Stanley Black & Decker is now suing the younger brand over name usage stemming back to a 1966 when Stanley 1913 signed a contract that limited the use of the “Stanley” name to “insulated containers adapted to keep their contents hot or cold” (Brittain, 2025). Though not specifically over naming rights, this case serves a pungent example of the span of laws that can be associated with the name of a brand.

After 100+ years, the Stanley brand has stood the test of time — their commitment to their authentic history has successfully led them through all phases of the brands life cycle.

References