Fleur Osté, who leads the Ben & Jerry’s brand in the Benelux region, is at the forefront of raising awareness about the company’s mission and the causes it supports. She heads a team of marketing and creative professionals dedicated to this purpose.
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the founders of Ben & Jerry’s, opened their first ice cream shop in 1978 with two main goals: to give back to their community and to enjoy themselves in the process. More than 40 years later, these values remain central to the company’s operations. Ben & Jerry’s is committed to using its business for good, whether through fair trade sourcing or advocating for important social issues like LGBTQ+ rights and climate justice.
Authentic Activism Over Empty Promises
Today, brands are increasingly expected to take a stand on social issues, but authenticity is key. Consumers can easily detect insincere efforts or “purpose-washing,” where companies feign concern for social causes purely for marketing purposes. Ben & Jerry’s avoids this by ensuring that their actions are genuine and align with their core values. For nearly five decades, social justice has been embedded in the company’s DNA.
Combining Advocacy with Humor
Ben & Jerry’s approach to activism begins with listening rather than simply donating money. The company employs activism managers in each market where it operates. These managers, experienced in campaigning, build relationships with grassroots organizations that share Ben & Jerry’s ethical values. Their role is to ask, “How can Ben & Jerry’s support your cause?”
This approach was the foundation for the “Half Baked Policy” campaign in the Netherlands. After consulting with refugee rights organizations, the company learned about a government policy that made it difficult for asylum seekers to find work. In response, Ben & Jerry’s launched a multi-channel campaign featuring the slogan “Half Baked Ice Cream for Half Baked Policy.”
To draw attention to the issue, Ben & Jerry’s gave away half-filled pints of their “Half Baked” ice cream flavor. The campaign was supported by a YouTube video featuring a protest party led by Ben & Jerry’s Dutch staff. The goal was to gather signatures for a petition and spark public debate, ultimately aiming to create pressure for positive change.
Measuring Impact Beyond Sales
For Ben & Jerry’s, success in social justice campaigns is not measured by sales figures but by the impact on the issues they support. In the “Half Baked Policy” campaign, over 11,000 signatures were collected. Six months after the campaign’s launch, the contested policy was overturned by the Court of Justice, marking a significant victory for refugee rights in the Netherlands. The campaign showcased the power of collective action.
The Power of Brand-Aligned Activism
Ben & Jerry’s continues to partner with other companies, such as Ikea and Microsoft, to fund initiatives that support refugee rights. The company believes that brand-aligned activism is not about driving sales but about using a business’s influence for societal good.
By collaborating with grassroots organizations and impacted communities, companies can make meaningful contributions to social change. Ben & Jerry’s emphasizes the importance of clear company values in pursuing activism, as the goal is to create a better world—and to have some fun along the way.
