Now that summer is coming to an end, I can’t think of a better time to try to keep it alive a little while longer by dedicating this next post to ice cream. But not just to any ordinary ice cream: to Ben & Jerry’s Schweddy Balls ice cream.
B & J History Snap Shot
The very first Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop opened in 1978 in Burlington Vermont. For over 30 years, the company has been indulging us with delicious flavours and witty names. Free cone day has now become a company staple and is ever popular with consumers. Over the years, Ben & Jerry’s has perfected it’s Marketing craft and has become one of the most cutting edge companies when it comes to implementing innovative Marketing programs. This is in part thanks to its acquisition by Unilever in the year 2000. Unilever’s inventive management teams have helped bring the Ben & Jerry’s brand to a new level and strengthen the brand’s positioning in consumer’s minds.
Do you have Schweddy Balls?
Staying true to their witty nature, the Marketing team at Ben & Jerry’s implemented a unique Marketing campaign during summer of 2011 for the introduction of the limited edition ice cream flavor called Schweddy Balls. Schweddy Balls? Yes, Schweddy Balls. Maybe this SNL video will help clarify:
You guessed right. Schweddy Balls was named to commemorate a 2007 Saturday Night Live skit featuring the hilarious Alec Baldwin as Pete Schweddy. The Schweddy Balls flavor consists of a Fair Trade vanilla ice cream with a hint of rum and loaded with fudge covered rum and milk chocolate balls. What’s not to love?!
Not only did the team at Ben & Jerry’s score a co-branding deal with SNL producers, it was also successful at implementing an equally grabbing campaign. “For a long time, I thought that ‘Here lies Pete Schweddy’ would end up on my tombstone. Now, thanks to Ben & Jerry’s, the goodness of the Schweddy family recipe won’t go with me to the great beyond. It is immortalized here, right now, and it’s an ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s and Schweddy. Two great names in American dessert, together at last.” stated Alec Baldwin in a press release.
Ben & Jerry’s introduced its new flavor on Twitter with the help of one ever famous comedian:
A hash tag #helpmefindschweddyballs became extremely popular:
The product was also introduced through Facebook where Ben & Jerry’s 3 million plus fans could choose their favourite SNL Schweddy Balls skit and send it to their friends (but not their grandma).
It goes without saying that Ben & Jerry’s has found great value in implementing surprising and viral-friendly campaigns. In the case of Schweddy Balls, the company promised consumers that the limited edition flavor will become a fan favorite, resonating with a line from the SNL skit: “You won’t be able to resist our Schweddy Balls!”.
Profitabilitiy of the flavor introduction has not yet been reported but I will definitely keep an eye out and keep all you fabulous readers updated. I look forward to seeing if this hype and co-branding effort paid off for the company.
The Schweddy Balls flavor will be available until the end of the year, so be sure to get your pint today! Have YOU tried Schweddy Balls?
~ J.
