Ad of the Day: Ben & Jerry's

Ben & Jerry's "It's what's inside" campaign continues with this spot from Amalgamated called "Chocolate Fudge Brownie," which shows a miniature fudge brownie bakery being created inside an ice cream tub. The theme of the campaign is to focus not only on what makes up the ice cream but also on the ethically stringent way the company is run, at least according to the proprietors. In this case, the focus is on how Ben & Jerry's works with small businesses—specifically, Greyston Bakery in Yonkers, N.Y., which has been supplying the fudge brownies that go into flavors like Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Half Baked since 1990. The spot has no voiceover, just a pleasant, soft melody plucked out on strings. As the scene unfolds, the tiny bakery and arts of the city around it are constructed before our eyes. The line at the end, "Packed with brownies that do good," actually takes a second to figure out but is obvious once you do—they are singing the praises of the company for keeping others employed. Earlier efforts in the campaign have focused on other worthy acts, like the sourcing of ingredients, and it's not clear that this one works as a celebration of ethically driven business. Don't all companies keep their suppliers in jobs, too? I am sure the employees of Greyston would feel strongly that this message is a worthy one, but the spot actually works better as a celebration of ice cream, model making, and little-grin-inducing animation.