This is a paper presented by Julia Buso, a graduate of the Global Digital Marketing and Localization (GDMLC) program. This paper presents the work being produced by students of The Localization Institute’s programs. The contents of this Paper are presented to create discussion in the global marketing industry on this topic; the contents of this paper are not to be considered an adopted standard of any kind. This does not represent the official position of Brand2Global Conference, The Localization Institute, or the author’s organization.

On March 3, 2025, Unilever removed Ben & Jerry’s CEO David Stever due to alleged ‘performance issues’, however, in a lawsuit filed later that month, the ice cream brand is claiming the firing came as an attempt to condemn Stever’s commitment to social and political activism. On the brand’s website, its mission statement makes it clear that Ben & Jerry’s is not just an ice cream business, but rather, it seeks to “use ice cream to change the world”, and dedicates its company to advancing human rights, social and economic justice and maintaining a sustainable planet.

Rather than the typical ice cream ads, Ben & Jerry’s use a distinctive social media strategy that reflects their strong sense of corporate activism across all its platforms. In 2021, the brand made a bold decision to outright stop selling their products in Israeli-occupied Palestine. Earlier in 2020, the brand issued a major statement in response to the killing of George Floyd, and they moved to suspend all paid social media advertising in favor of supporting the 2020 election in the US.

In the following, Ben & Jerry’s unique social media strategy will be analyzed by comparing the content and language used on the US Instagram account @benandjerrys to the posts on their German Instagram @benandjerrys_offiziell. The aim is to explore how the company’s messaging is either standardized or localized to the respective cultural and political contexts in either market.

The US Instagram account @benandjerrys immediately stands out for its text-heavy, multi-image posts, often designed to educate followers about complex political and social issues. These posts break down historical contexts, explain current events and highlight why particular causes demand the followers’ urgent attention. The strategy here is clearly to provide accessible, digestible information that empowers followers to engage and become active within their communities.

The language used in the US handle is very informal and at times playful, with some posts incorporating play on words such as for instance “We the People means All the People” or “The SAVE Act isn’t saving anyone.” They also frequently emphasize urgency and funnel attention by using very specific formatting choices like bolding or capitalizing keywords in their CTAs (e.g. “Take Action NOW!”)

A similar approach can be observed on Ben & Jerry’s German Instagram account (@benandjerrys_offiziell), which at first glance shares many similarities with the US equivalent version in that it includes similar imagery and about the same balance between ice cream related content and activist content. However, a closer look reveals that the German account does carefully localize its content and messaging to resonate better with a German audience in that it addresses current socio-political issues that are at the forefront of the news in Germany. This is an aspect that in a way resembles the relatively small cultural distance between Germans and Americans and is not surprising.

Just like the US account, the brand’s core values of social & economic justice, inclusion and community engagement are central to the German Instagram as well. They regularly speak out on pressing current issues such as the refugee crisis in Europe and the rise of domestic terrorism. Posts not only express solidarity with marginalized groups but also call followers to action by for instance encouraging them to attend memorials, educating themselves beyond just what they read on the news, or supporting local organizations and activist influencers.

During Germany’s most recent election period, the account prioritized voter mobilization, promoting tools like the so-called ‘Wahl-O-Mat’ to help users make informed voting decisions. Posts often end with direct CTAs and/or reference ‘links in bio’ to direct followers to external sources of information and reading materials, acknowledging the limited space available within a single social media post.

Linguistically, the German account maintains an approachable and informal tone, consistently addressing followers using the informal ‘Du’ rather than the formal ‘Sie’. Another prominent feature of their language strategy is the use of gender inclusive forms (called “gendern” in German) such as “Jede:r” or “Migrant:innen,” reflecting an intentional commitment to promoting gender equality, despite the ongoing debate about the complexity this adds to the German language and many people refusing to use it consistently.

Interestingly, the German account also incorporates quite a few English phrases (such as the pro LGBTQ slogan “Vote Love”) and slogans in their post and even in their profile bio (“Stay Spooned!”). This reflects a broader linguistic trend in German social media among younger generations where English terms are often perceived as more modern, and thought to sound ‘cooler’ as they are usually more concise and flow better than a German translation of the same phrase would.

Overall, the US and German Instagram accounts are remarkably consistent in their strategic approach. Most posts focus on activism and current socio-political issues rather than promoting their ice cream products. While occasional ice cream-related content does appear, it is often embedded into activist posts as seen in a US post that visualized the percentage of people in the US who are in favor of abortion rights by using a visual with ice cream cones. The US Instagram account also has some posts that are incorporating their ice cream product directly with their political activism initiatives as a means of incentivizing participation in demonstrations (“We’ll be there and we are bringing the ice cream!”), a tactic that was not visibly employed on the German account.

A key point of divergence lies in the localization of the content. Both accounts tailor their posts to address current events in their respective country and local issues. This would most likely also explain why for instance environmentalism is a particularly prominent theme in the German account, as this reflects the country’s strong sense of eco-consciousness, while the US account features such content less often, the only instance in my sample being the Greenpeace legal case surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline controversy.

Another point of distinction is the way content is structured in each post. The US account seems to favor multi-image posts to present extensive information within a single post rather than keeping individual posts shorter and directing followers to external resources for more detailed information (as seen in the German instance). This may reflect market research showing a preference for concise, complete information over link-clicking in one culture, versus a greater willingness to explore external content in another.

Ben & Jerry’s Instagram strategy exemplifies how brands can effectively leverage social media to express and promote corporate activism. They are a perfect example of how one can become a conscious brand that is maintaining its global brand identity while also adapting to local cultures and nuances. Both the US and German accounts consistently reflect Ben & Jerry’s core values. Rather than translating English posts, the German account features original content crafted to align with local language nuances and culturally relevant issues. This approach creates a nuanced and engaging social media strategy rooted in connection, inclusivity, and the affirmation that every voice deserves to be heard and respected.

Their social media strategy ultimately underlines Ben & Jerry’s inherent activism and shows they are indeed more than ‘just’ another ice-cream manufacturer. Their company strategy is already helping change the world and they are inspiring other companies to follow into their footsteps.

I really enjoyed the “Global Digital Marketing and Localization” certificate course from the Localization Institute. It provided a solid and insightful overview of digital marketing within a localization context. The course is ideal for anyone in marketing who wants to better understand how to adapt their strategies for global audiences, but it’s equally valuable for localization professionals looking to deepen their expertise in global marketing. Highly recommended!

References

Ben & Jerry’s official US website: https://www.benjerry.com/values/issues-we-care-about?utm_campaign=BJ_Product&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_source=google&utm_content=serp

NPR article on the firing of Ben &Jerry’s CEO: https://www.npr.org/2025/03/20/nx-s1-5334417/ben-jerrys-ceo-removed-unilever-lawsuit-activism

Forbes article regarding their activism: https://www.forbes.com/sites/edwardsegal/2024/03/24/what-ben–jerrys-activism-can-teach-business-leaders/

Podcast on evolution of corporate political activism: https://www.axios.com/2021/03/25/ben-jerry-evolution-corporate-political-activism