Ben & Jerry's Launches Imagine Whirled Peace

On May 27, 2008, Ben & Jerry’s launched a new ice cream flavor – Imagine Whirled Peace – to honor the legacy of John Lennon and encourage people to think about peace in a critical time of war. Cone was charged with helping to raise awareness of both the cause and new flavor through an integrated public relations plan. The launch of the flavor was timed to coincide with the 39th anniversary of John and Yoko’s famous “Bed-in for Peace.”

Cone recreated John and Yoko’s first Bed-In on a mobile bedroom at Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop in Times Square. Sharing in the festivities were actress and peace activist Maggie Gyllenhaal, Founder of Peace One Day Jeremy Gilley, Ben & Jerry’s CEO Walt Freese, Co-Founder Jerry Greenfield and Roy Kerwood, original photographer of Lennon and Ono’s 1969 Bed-In. To help deliver the peace message to consumers, Cone aligned Ben & Jerry’s with the nonprofit organization Peace One Day and held a nationwide online search to identify two modern-day peace activists who embodied the values set forth by Lennon. Aaron Voldman, co-founder of the Student Peace Alliance, and Robert Kent, founder of the Peace Camp Initiative, were both awarded a $10,000 donation from Ben & Jerry’s to their respective peace organizations.

Five hundred placements were secured, reaching more than 65MM consumers. In addition, the event was the leading story on CBS’s “The Insider” and coverage was fed nationally by all four network affiliates resulting in 392 broadcast placements nationwide.