How Ben & Jerry's became a beacon of brand bravery
(Image credit: Ben & Jerry's / Reuters) Copy link Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter If any brand has become synonymous with activism over the years, it's Ben & Jerry's. From renaming its Chubby…
Annons
Annons
(Image credit: Ben & Jerry's / Reuters) Copy link Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter If any brand has become synonymous with activism over the years, it's Ben & Jerry's. From renaming its Chubby Hubby flavour Hubby Hubby to celebrate marriage equality, to campaigning to close a prison in St Louis and using its marketing to challenge racial injustice, the ice cream brand has always found creative ways to turn its values into action.And the brand's founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, have also participated directly in protests. In April 2016, both were arrested at the US Capitol during the Democracy Awakening demonstrations against the influence of money in politics and restrictions on voting rights. More recently, Cohen was arrested in May 2025 during a US Senate protest over military aid to Israel and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Both founders of Ben & Jerrys' were arrested during the Democracy Awakening demonstrations in 2016 (Image credit: Ben & Jerry's)At this year's Paradigms conference in Croatia, in a talk exploring the power of brands to drive social change, chief marketing officer Jay Curley argued that businesses should do more than pay lip service to good causes. For the Vermont ice cream maker, activism is baked into the business, alongside the Cookie Dough.Latest Videos FromCreative BloqWatch full video here: But what happens when a brand gets it wrong, faces a backlash or risks alienating customers? And how do you choose which causes deserve your voice? We caught up with Curley to discuss why brands should stop sitting on the fence, why perfection shouldn’t stand in the way of progress, and how a little creativity can help change the world. (Image credit: Future) Peace, Love & Ice Cream | Ben & Jerry's - YouTube Watch On Why do you think so many brands are afraid to stand up for causes in the way that Ben & Jerry’s does?I think traditional businesses are risk-averse. They have a traditional belief that it’s better to stay neutral and avoid polarising issues. For some businesses, that might be the right approach. But I feel that brands that stand for something, and have communities they value and connect with, have to show up. Ultimately, I think it’s a general aversion to risk that keeps businesses out of these issues.
