Here's Why Ben And Jerry's Is Getting Bud Lighted
Another American Brand Is Scooped Up In The Culture War
Ice cream kings Ben and Jerry’s is the next brand to melt as Summer anti-establishment boycotts heat up.
But what is it now?
Did they endorse Dylan Mulvaney? Or launch something like Trans Turtle Truffle?
Nope.
Ben and Jerry’s marketing team took a different approach to destroying their brand over the holiday weekend.
On the morning of the 4th, while most Americans were busy filling coolers, preparing parades, and chasing toddlers with sunscreen, Ben and Jerry’s was busy virtue signaling for profits:
And there it is.
The headstone for yet another iconic brand as the ice cream brothers’ stock fell immediately following the tweet, coupled with losing an estimated $2.5 billion in market cap.
But there’s more to this blunder than a simple social media post.
Ben and Jerry’s Woke Marketing Campaign
After following the tweets link, you’ll find their plan to use social issues as a marketing tactic.
They mainly argue that Mount Rushmore should be the first step in returning land to Native American tribes.
Before the US government took over the Black Hills region where Mt. Rushmore sits, the Lakota Sioux tribe called the area home.
In two separate agreements, the Laramie Treaties, the US government provided a “permanent home” for the Sioux, including the sacred Black Hills.
And the US government honored those treaties.
Until they realized the hills had gold.
Eventually, the Lakota Sioux was forced to give up their land as they were pushed into lower-quality areas to allow the US government to mine the precious metal.
Then in 1927, construction started for Mt. Rushmore.
So that’s Ben and Jerry’s argument: we shouldn’t celebrate Independence Day because the US government stole independence from the Sioux tribe and enshrined evil white men into a mountain.
Indeed, it was wrong of the US government to dishonor their agreements and displace countless people.
But modern American citizens are not responsible for what the US government did around the Civil War.
And our independence and flag represent the People, not the government.
But let’s remove the US government, Americans, or white settlers from the equation for argument’s sake.
Before the first paleface set foot in the New World, the Lakota Sioux only acquired the land after driving out the Cheyanne and Crow tribes.
And who held the deed before them?
Countless other tribes had no issue killing and raping each other without the help of a single white settler.
But Why Boycott Now?
Ben and Jerry have been riding the woke marketing campaign for years.
In 2009, they renamed their famed Chubby Hubby flavor to Hubby Hubby to celebrate same-sex marriage in Vermont.
In 2018 they released “Pecan Resist” in opposition to President Trump.
A year later, they launched “Justice ReMix’d,” dedicated to fighting “systemic racism” and other nonsense, followed by “Change is Brewing,” which protested voting restrictions.
Of course, the cleverest of flavor names offered nothing more than expensive treats for young white liberals to feel like they were doing something positive with their dollars.
But Ben and Jerry’s does so much more for the community.
Check out their blog for a treasure trove of ESG and DEI heavy reading material between climate change and fair trade published who knows how long ago.
So why boycott now?
Like Bud Light, they’re probably flying too close to the sun.
As discussed last week, Bud Light had Pride bottles in 2019, and nobody cared.
But they pushed it too far with Dylan Mulvaney and the trans movement getting too close to kids.
And we’re tired of wokeness ruining all the fun.
Everyday Americans watching the fireworks this week had nothing to do with what greedy politicians did 160 years ago.
And we’re tired of being blamed for it.
Hypocrisy
Besides, as many called out, if Ben and Jerry’s wants to return the land to Native tribes, shouldn’t they shut down the factory they’ve made a living on that once belonged to other indigenous peoples?
And while they post articles about fair sourcing, Ben and Jerry’s was named in an expose for breaking child labor laws.
Ben and Jerry’s response?
If migrant children needed to work full time, it was preferable for them to have jobs at a well-monitored workplace. Cheryl Pinto, Head of Values Led Sourcing, Ben and Jerry’s
In other words, it’s OK for us to break the rules because we do child labor the right way.
A Long Time Coming
And so another American brand falls to globalism. But it didn’t happen overnight.
Of course, Ben and Jerry’s was always left-leaning. But that was back when it was cool.
Until the 21st century, Ben and Jerry’s was a rebellious brand that did its own thing.
They were the cool uncle in the ice cream family, hanging in the corner freezer with attractive packaging paying homage to hippie greats such as The Grateful Dead, Phish, and other pop culture recognition such as The Big Lebowski and Caddyshack.
Since starting the company in 1978, Ben and Jerry’s has been relatable. They weren’t hiding behind a vague corporate name.
They were two guys from Vermont.
They donated to the Children’s Defense Fund, strayed away from chemicals in their product, and promoted family farms.
People liked the product and their relationship with liberal-leaning consumers with whom they interacted directly.
In 1986, they drove an ice cream mobile, “The Cowmobile,” in a nationwide “marketing drive.”
And Ben and Jerry publicly protested “Big Ice Cream” after Haagen Daaz, owned by Pillsbury, attempted to limit their distribution in Philly. This led to the protest stickers on pints reading, “What is the doughboy afraid of?”
They were the underdogs sticking it to the man.
And it worked.
Unfortunately, the anti-establishment brand sold out when Unilever purchased the company in 2000.
The British conglomerate owns brands from Axe to Lipton tea to Hellmans Mayonaise, netting over 8 billion in 2022.
And many won’t be happy to learn that Unilever directly supports the Russian war effort thanks to a tax on businesses operating in Putin’s territory totaling around $331 million last year alone, according to The Guardian.
Unfortunately, like punk rock, the anti-establishment ice cream has been an establishment treat for 20 years.
But just like sugar, greed eventually catches up.