- The brand's expensive, high-tech coolers range between $200 and $1,300 there is some debate on whether they're worth the price tag .
- The company went public in 2018 and is currently valued at $2.25 billion.
- Both technology and highly effective marketing campaigns have made YETI not just a popular cooler company but also an aspirational lifestyle brand.
- The company now makes apparel, drinkware like the YETI rambler and tumbler , functional bags like backpacks , and pet products, among other things.
- Here's a look at how the coolers are made, why they're so expensive .
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
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YETI coolers can sell for up to $1,300. Photos show how the brand became a status symbol in less than 10 years. (YETI)
YETI coolers have earned the title of status symbol in the US since they first appeared on the market in 2006.
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YETI is known for its expensive coolers that have become a status symbol in America.
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This is their most expensive, the 82-gallon Tundra 350.
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It retails for $1,300.
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Since the company was founded in 2006, YETI has become an iconic brand.
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And they now make a lot more than just coolers.
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Their product lineup includes things like drinkware ...
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... apparel ...
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... and even dog bowls.
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But the coolers are what the brand is best known for ...
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... like the popular Tundra 35 that retails for $250.
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But you can get a comparably-sized cooler from legacy brands like Coleman and Igloo ...
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... for closer to $40.
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So why are YETI coolers so expensive?
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There are two pretty simple answers: technology ...
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... and marketing.
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The Austin, Texas-based company was founded by the Seiders brothers.
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Theyre two avid outdoorsmen who felt there werent any coolers on the market that kept their catches ...
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... kills ...
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... and beverages cold enough for long enough.
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They teamed up with a factory in the Philippines to create a cooler that they described as indestructible ...
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... with superior ice retention.
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Their first cooler hit the market in 2006, and if you were serious about keeping your catches, kills, and "brewskies" as cold as possible, you needed a YETI.
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So, how do they work?
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The coolers shell is made of a common plastic called polyethylene with a process called rotomolding.
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Rotomolding uses high temperature and low pressure to create one piece of hollow plastic.
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Its the same process used to make kayaks.
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The shell is pressure injected with up to three inches of commercial-grade polyurethane foam.
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And thats what keeps your beers, catches, and kills cold for so long.
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The coolers feature a full-frame, freezer-quality gasket that seals around the entire lid to minimize air exchange.
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And from our personal experience with the coolers, they work.
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But are they worth the high price tag?
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So we asked a people on Facebook, and the responses were mixed.
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One person said, "Definitely."
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Another pointed out that "Theyre heavy AF" we agree that they are heavy.
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And one responder just said, "No."
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Another commenter wrote that "There are cheaper brands that work just as well."
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That person isnt wrong. There are some rotomolded YETI competitors like Orca, OtterBox, and RTIC, that are slightly cheaper, but still comparably priced.
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But none of them have been able to create the brand phenomenon that YETI has seen.
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In October of 2018, YETI went public when they filed an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange.
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The companys market cap is now estimated at $2.25 billion.
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Source: Markets Insider
So, how are YETI coolers able to carry that high price tag? Marketing. Highly-effective marketing.
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And their campaign to ramp up the population of YETI nation is just getting started.
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The company hired Melisa Goldie, the former head of marketing for Calvin Klein, to be its Chief Marketing Officer.
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And the companys effective use of the all-American, rugged, outdoor lifestyle keeps customers coming back for more.
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