From Adweek · Alison Weissbrot · · 1m 40s
Ben Cohen wants marketers to free Ben & Jerry's
The ice cream founder is challenging the marketing community to create a guerrilla campaign pressuring Magnum to sell the brand back.
In brief
The ice cream founder is challenging the marketing community to create a guerrilla campaign pressuring Magnum to sell the brand back. Ben Cohen is leveraging creative talent to pressure Magnum into selling Ben & Jerry's so the company can protect its social mission and independent governance. Originally reported by…
Ben Cohen's call to action
At Brandweek in Atlanta, the Ben & Jerry's founder challenged marketers to create a low-cost guerrilla campaign to pressure Magnum into selling the brand.
“This is your opportunity to help improve the quality of life for many people.”
How Ben & Jerry's lost independence
Founded in 1978, Ben & Jerry's was acquired by Unilever in 2000, then spun off to Magnum Ice Cream Company in late 2025. Cohen and Greenfield negotiated an independent board to protect the brand's social mission.
Tensions escalated over values
Ben & Jerry's sued Unilever over being silenced on Gaza. After Magnum took over, it ousted CEO Dave Stever and ignored the independent board's authority, prompting Greenfield to step down.
The Free Ben & Jerry's campaign
Cohen launched a campaign that gathered 200,000 petition signatures and 800,000 social media followers. In July, Ben & Jerry's announced it must close its foundation by year-end due to funding cuts.
The creative brief details
Marketers can submit guerrilla campaigns with a maximum budget of $20,000 by October 7, 2026. The winner gets free Ben & Jerry's for life if the company regains independence.
“Cheaper is better.”
Cohen's warning about Magnum
Cohen said Magnum lacks a social mission and is destroying the brand's values. He compared the situation to killing the goose that lays golden eggs for short-term profit.
“Magnum really likes those golden eggs, but they're in the process of destroying the goose.”
The bottom line
Ben Cohen is leveraging creative talent to pressure Magnum into selling Ben & Jerry's so the company can protect its social mission and independent governance.
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