Long known for subverting conventions and challenging the status quo, Ben & Jerry's is launching its first brand campaign in nearly a decade to encourage Americans to use their skills and passions to become activists.
The brand has partnered with indie agency DCX Growth Accelerator to take a choose-your-own-adventure approach rather than steering consumers towards a specific destination.
It's the latest show-off from a company that has been advocating for decades, essentially aiming to create its own in-house version of Nike's iconic “Just Do It.”
“Just as Nike believes that if you have a body you can be an athlete, Ben & Jerry's believes that if you have a heart you can be an activist,” said DCX chief creative and strategy officer Doug Cameron, who described the company's mandate as “a dream brief to assert our values ​​in a way that resonates powerfully in today's culture.”
The campaign debuts with a 90-second video montage featuring citizen activists who have photo-stormed Capitol Hill, surfed for racial equality, planted neighborhood yards, opened banned libraries and cycled (naked) to protest climate change, all under the tagline “Let's Make a Change!”.
“Your greatest tool is your own unique taste,” the ad states, continuing Ben & Jerry's long-standing strategy of including humorous references to the company's sweet treats in its calls to action.
Unstable background
The piece comes during an election year in the US, at a time of particular division in the country and when many businesses are shying away from discussing important issues.