These days you'd be hard-pressed to find a household in Australia without at least one stubby cooler or can holder. But have you ever wondered when these natty promotional products were first invented? It might surprise you to learn that what we define as a koozie has changed a bit since their original inception.

The History of Branded Drink Holders

The first modern promotional stubby coolers were invented in 1980's America, and although their design was admirable, the material they were made out of was less than perfect for insulating drinks such as beer. These early koozies were made of foam, and while they did stop the coolness from leaving drinks, it was very rudimentary and didn't make much difference.

All this changed when, in 1984, the Koozie company in the US first released a neoprene model of the can cooler. Koozie's success was almost instantaneous -- these drink holders had superior insulation and worked well on cans/bottles of beer. In hot countries like the US and Australia, people couldn't get enough of these lightweight holders that kept your drink nice and cool regardless of the weather outside. Slap a logo on the outside, and they become the perfect budget promotional gift!

So Why Are They Called  Stubby Coolers in Australia?

While Americans still refer to their drink holders as "koozies" here in Australia, we often call them "stubby coolers" -- so why do they have a different name here? That's because Aussie drinkers in the mid 80's noticed that these branded drink holders were the ideal size for a 375ml bottle of drink. These bottles are often referred to as "stubbies" because they are a shorter version of "long neck" or tall bottles (often around 650mls in size) and thus "stubby" in size. The name stuck locally, and if you search for stubby coolers online, you'll find all manner of promotional drink holders in the style of the American Koozie.

Details first spotted here: https://www.imagepak.com.au/a-brief-history-of-stubby-holders/