Everyone’s favorite ice cream maker, with all the deliciously named flavors, is never afraid to make very bold and bright statements. When gay marriage was legalized, Ben & Jerry’s named an ice cream flavor “I Dough, I Dough.” Obviously, showing their public support for same-sex marriage.
Their “Half-Baked” chocolate and vanilla flavored ice cream can be interpreted as support for marijuana legalization.
While a couple years back, the Vermont-based ice cream company launched an anti-Trump ice cream flavor called “Pecan Resist.” Get it?
And now, while thousands hit the streets amid the ongoing anti-racism protests, they’re definitely not shy of showing their political stance. No sugar coating added either.
Ben & Jerry’s is using its platform to share statistics while talking about dismantling white supremacy, harnessing the Ben & Jerry’s label to point out the injustices of the world surrounding us.
A few days ago, on IG, they posted a black screen reading “We must dismantle white supremacy” with white writing that went on to read:
“The murder of George Floyd was the result of inhumane police brutality that is perpetuated by a culture of white supremacy.”
And on Twitter they went as far as posting this:
Here’s the key to understanding what we’re seeing today: There’s a direct connection between slavery and our past and our present criminal justice system that profits from locking up Black bodies: https://t.co/fFzYMiruwz pic.twitter.com/GT7aj72YZr
— Ben & Jerry’s (@benandjerrys) June 5, 2020
Their recent statement on the matter outlined action items for President Trump:
“All of us at Ben & Jerry’s are outraged about the murder of another Black person by Minneapolis police officers last week and the continued violent response by police against protestors,”
“We have to say his name: George Floyd. George Floyd was a son, a brother, a father, and a friend. The police officer who put his knee on George Floyd’s neck and the police officers who stood by and watched didn’t just murder George Floyd, they stole him. They stole him from his family and his friends, his church and his community, and from his own future,” the statement continued.
These are, by far, the most definite statements we saw from such a global brand.
The question is, how will the public take it this time around?
Though some influencers worldwide loved it:
ben & Jerry’s statement is by far the best statement i have ever read pic.twitter.com/BvzR6Vn2Wp
— ً (@bloodlineyuna) June 2, 2020
Ben & Jerry’s ain’t never been scared to call a thing a thing. That’s why they stay in my freezer.
— ᴅᴏʟʟᴀʀ (@callmedollar) June 2, 2020
Police enforcement and other criminal justice systems weren’t as happy. Some may see this whole movement as an “anti-cop” kind of thing reminding us of the year 2016 when Cohen and Greenfield, Ben and Jerry’s founders, were arrested as part of the “Democracy Awakening” protests on the U.S. Capitol steps in Washington, D.C.
“Ben & Jerry’s went beyond making a statement in support of civil rights when they actively accused law enforcement of widespread racism. By spreading these false and misleading statements, Ben & Jerry’s lends an appearance of legitimacy to the baseless claims that police officers are killing men based on the color of their skin,” Blue Lives Matter, a group of active and retired law enforcement officials, then wrote.
We hope the message is clear, that it will inspire more marketers to use their platforms to evoke the much-needed change.
And to end things off, this (hilarious) post to lighten up a very sticky situation. Beware content is rated R.