Jamie, a Ben & Jerry's representative, scoops Justice ReMix'd for students at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
"Business has a responsibility to give back to the community," said Ben Cohen when he and Jerry Greenfield founded the ice cream empire that is now Ben & Jerry's. Grand Poobah of PR Sean Greenwood knows how integral community involvement is to Ben & Jerry's as a company, and its latest partnership with the Advancement Project is yet another example of its fine-tuned recipe for corporate social activism.
In a presentation organized by Syracuse University's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, Greenwood and digital campaigns strategist for the Advancement Project Cedric Brown dove deep into the planning and results of Justice ReMix'd, a limited-batch flavor created to foster awareness and education regarding racial justice issues. During the program, entitled The Sweet Taste of Justice: The Advancement Project's and Ben & Jerry's Quest for a Just Democracy, the two discussed the function of public relations in a values-driven business.
By weighting their social mission with the same importance as their product and economic missions, Ben & Jerry's not only communicates its commitment to making the world a better place, but it also allows the company to develop thoughtful and impactful campaigns that feel authentic to the brand, the cause and the consumer. And of course, for Ben & Jerry's, this happens through ice cream. To the untrained eye, Justice ReMix'd is just swirls of chocolate and cinnamon ice cream with bites of cinnamon bun dough and spicy brownies. Those ingredients were not just picked because they are delicious, but because they illustrate the mission of the Advancement Project. The chocolate and cinnamon ice creams represent people of all different races, while the spicy fudge brownies stand for "the fight that we all need to have to fight for our rights," according to Cedric Brown. The attention to detail here showcases the passion of both organizations while creating a tasty product that will serve as a starting point for conversation and education.
In a presentation organized by Syracuse University's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, Greenwood and digital campaigns strategist for the Advancement Project Cedric Brown dove deep into the planning and results of Justice ReMix'd, a limited-batch flavor created to foster awareness and education regarding racial justice issues. During the program, entitled The Sweet Taste of Justice: The Advancement Project's and Ben & Jerry's Quest for a Just Democracy, the two discussed the function of public relations in a values-driven business.
By weighting their social mission with the same importance as their product and economic missions, Ben & Jerry's not only communicates its commitment to making the world a better place, but it also allows the company to develop thoughtful and impactful campaigns that feel authentic to the brand, the cause and the consumer. And of course, for Ben & Jerry's, this happens through ice cream. To the untrained eye, Justice ReMix'd is just swirls of chocolate and cinnamon ice cream with bites of cinnamon bun dough and spicy brownies. Those ingredients were not just picked because they are delicious, but because they illustrate the mission of the Advancement Project. The chocolate and cinnamon ice creams represent people of all different races, while the spicy fudge brownies stand for "the fight that we all need to have to fight for our rights," according to Cedric Brown. The attention to detail here showcases the passion of both organizations while creating a tasty product that will serve as a starting point for conversation and education.
Ben & Jerry's certainly has the option to partner with larger organizations that would bring them more media attention. According to Greenwood, however, the brand cares most about amplifying messages that are pertinent and powerful, regardless of the reach of the organization it partners with. In the case of the Advancement Project, Ben & Jerry's provides it with an invaluable opportunity to increase engagement and educate lots of interested citizens. The Justice ReMix'd campaign received over 300 million impressions, bringing tons of new eyes to the causes championed by the Advancement Project. And a little support from an outspoken, passionate person in Hollywood like Jesse Williams certainly never hurt.
Something as simple as an ice cream truck can engage people enough to start a greater conversation, and Ben & Jerry's has found a formula for providing that foundation for several organizations, the Advancement Project included. As talk of Generation Z becoming the most conscious shoppers grows, it is companies with a reputation for doing good for the right reasons that will thrive. Greenwood explained that from Ben & Jerry's perspective, "Instead of running away from controversy, we get comfortable running into it." Standing up for what is right is not something new to Ben & Jerry's, but it looks like they could see an even greater payoff with some love from Gen Z. Because who doesn't want a sweet taste of justice?
Something as simple as an ice cream truck can engage people enough to start a greater conversation, and Ben & Jerry's has found a formula for providing that foundation for several organizations, the Advancement Project included. As talk of Generation Z becoming the most conscious shoppers grows, it is companies with a reputation for doing good for the right reasons that will thrive. Greenwood explained that from Ben & Jerry's perspective, "Instead of running away from controversy, we get comfortable running into it." Standing up for what is right is not something new to Ben & Jerry's, but it looks like they could see an even greater payoff with some love from Gen Z. Because who doesn't want a sweet taste of justice?