Ben & Jerry’s Urges DIY Activism in First Brand Campaign in a Decade

Ben & Jerry’s, a longtime cage-rattler and status quo challenger, is launching its first brand campaign in nearly one decade, encouraging Americans to lean into their skills and passions to become activists.

The brand, partnering with indie agency DCX Growth Accelerator, is taking a choose-your-own-adventure approach instead of directing consumers to any one specific cause.

It’s the latest flex from a company with decades of advocacy in its history, aiming, in essence, to create its 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,” according to Doug Cameron, chief creative and strategy officer at DCX, who described the agency’s marching orders as “a dream brief to assert their values in a way that would resonate powerfully with today’s culture.”

The campaign—under the tagline, “Make Some Motherchunkin’ Change!”—debuts with a 90-second montage-style video featuring citizen activists who have photobombed Congress, surfed for racial justice, planted neighborhood gardens, opened banned book libraries and biked (naked) to protest climate change.

“The greatest tool is your own unique flavor,” the ad says, continuing a longstanding tactic of infusing Ben & Jerry’s calls to action with cheeky references to its sweet treats. 

Volatile backdrop

The work comes during a political election year in the U.S.—an especially divisive time in the country—and a time when many corporations have backed away from discussing hot-button issues.

“We see an urgent need for the message of this campaign now,” Jay Curley, global head of integrated marketing at Ben & Jerry’s, told ADWEEK. “As a society, we’re facing big challenges and, while that can feel daunting or cause people to feel disillusioned, we’re inspired by people who see it as an opportunity to create community and drive for collective change.”

The relatively uncluttered environment may bode well for the brand, per Gary Stibel, managing partner of New England Consulting Group, although thoughtful execution of the initiative is key.

“When most other brands are ducking the bullet, it will stand out for Ben & Jerry’s to reinforce its advocacy position,” Stibel said. “It’s on-brand, it’s very consistent and, for them to encourage people to stand up for what they believe in, whatever that is, is terribly smart.”

Global scope

The campaign also drops shortly after parent company Unilever announced that it would sell off its ice cream business, including Wall’s and Magnum. Although the relationship between the corporate behemoth and Ben & Jerry’s has not always been smooth, no reports have blamed the split on the brand’s high-profile nonpartisan advocacy work.

“Make Some Motherchunkin’ Change!” will run via online and social platforms through 2024 in the U.S. and in select global markets. Additionally, murals, billboards and wild postings will appear in New York and Los Angeles for the next several months.

DCX dug deep into consumer sentiment about the brand, particularly with young demographics, as a scene-setter for the campaign, which aims to sit at the “intersection of progressive values and DIY (do it yourself) creative expression,” said Cameron, whose creative link to the legendary ice cream and its C-suite goes back more than 20 years.

Heavy subjects, light touch

Ben & Jerry’s is running concurrent advocacy initiatives around voting rights and legal reform, but “Make Some Motherchunkin’ Change!” offers those as options for consumer activity.

Although global warming, food insecurity and women’s rights are weighty topics, the effort has an intentionally light touch, “accentuating the fun and creative sides of activism,” Cameron said.

Previous campaigns have featured custom-created, limited-time flavors to further amp the message. For instance, collaborations with filmmaker Ava DuVernay and former National Football League star-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick spawned Lights! Caramel! Action! and Change the Whirled, respectively.

“Make Some Motherchunkin’ Change!” does not have its own flavor, but it will be hyped through the brand’s paid and owned media and original content such as podcast Into the Mix, with a new season coming in July.