As the 4th of July celebrations unfolded across America, renowned ice cream brand, Ben and Jerry’s, found itself at the heart of a controversy, know about its CEO Dave Stever
A bold tweet by the company has drawn the ire of right-wing and conservative factions, leading to widespread calls for a boycott of the brand.
The storm was started by a 4th of July message from Ben and Jerry’s that said the U.S. was “founded on stolen indigenous land” and asked for a promise to return it. The tweet is controversial, and people who lean to the right on the internet have pushed back against it.
Who is Dave Stever CEO of Ben and Jerry’s, biography, age, education, career
Did everyone forget .. Ben and Jerry's is and always will be woke. Its not new. Stop buying the products. pic.twitter.com/TbA4qpY2pW
— Anti Cookie Monster (@mantra_sam) July 5, 2023
BOYCOTT Ben and Jerry's ice cream.
They obviously hired a radical moron in the marketing department who's allowed to spread hateful propaganda.
Discussing INTERTRIBAL genocide and INTERTRIBAL land theft is important. Make believing Canada is a genocidal state is propaganda. pic.twitter.com/gJjeWnlXFb
— Forbidden Analysis (@Anonymo67459318) July 3, 2023
Ben and Jerry’s was started in 1978 in Burlington, Vermont. It has been known for a long time for its unique ice cream flavours with chunks of food and sweets. Also in 2000, the brand was bought by the multinational company Unilever, which agreed to support and act on the brand’s progressive principles. As of May 8, 2023, the CEO of the company is Dave Stever.
Dave Stever started as a tour guide at the Ben & Jerry’s Waterbury factory in 1988 and eventually assumed the role of chief marketing officer, a position he held for 12 years. On May 8, the Ben & Jerry’s board promoted him to the company’s top position, saying Stever is strongly committed to advancing justice and equity in the world — the guiding mission of the premium ice cream brand and he’ll oversee 650 employees in Vermont and the Netherlands.
Stever who is a Vermont native, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont in 1984 and a master’s in business from Saint Michael’s College in 1997.
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are the founders of the company.
A history of activism
Ben and Jerry’s is no stranger to being politically active. When they make, sell, and market their goods, they support social justice causes. Also the company supports social justice, fair trade, LGBTQ+ rights, environmental justice, and climate justice in a very public way.
But their recent 4th of July message has taken the company’s activism into controversial territory, causing a wave of backlash and a movement to boycott their goods.
A call to boycott the Ice Cream giant
Ben and Jerry’s tweet led to many netizens labeling the company as “woke” and “America-hating.” Several online users paralleled the situation with BudLight, another brand that recently faced calls for boycott.
The controversial Tweet explained
Before the tweet that caused trouble, Ben and Jerry’s wrote a blog post explaining its point of view. The post, which came out on June 30, 2023, said that the U.S. was started by taking land from native people. It supported the Land Back Movement and said that giving back places like Mount Rushmore could break down “white supremacy and systems of oppression.”
The brand emphasised that these places, which are sacred to native tribes like the Lakota Sioux, should be given back to them. To back up their case, they used treaties and Supreme Court decisions.
The company’s stance on social media
Adding to the controversy, the ice cream maker last month declared it would stop advertising on Twitter, citing the platform’s “dangerous” state under the leadership of Elon Musk.
At the time of writing, the company has not yet commented on the ongoing backlash or the calls for boycotts. Also the controversy highlights the potential risks for businesses that engage in political discourse, even as it underlines Ben and Jerry’s commitment to social justice causes.