Ben & Jerry’s: A Bold and Digital Reality

July 14th, 2010 View Comments

It’s not every day that a client asks you to create something that is meaningful, innovative, creative and fun.

Okay, with Ben & Jerry’s, it’s every other day. In keeping with Jerry Greenfield’s motto “If it’s not fun, then why do it” they have really outdone themselves this time.

Ben & Jerry’s is always looking for new ways to engage with their fans. They saw early success with their Facebook page which reached one million fans last year and is steadily growing.

Their Twitter presence isn’t too shabby either, with over 10K followers. In March, Ben & Jerry’s entered the world of iPhone apps with “Scoop of Happiness” which includes a Scoop Shop Locator, flavor and ingredient information as well as Mystic Moo a clairvoyant cow who makes flavor recommendations based on your mood.

Last week, the “Scoop of Happiness” app got a little bit happier with an extra scoop of Augmented Reality called Moo Vision. Now this is a big first.

Moo Vision unlocks 3D AR experiences launched by the pint lid design – without markers or QR codes. Instead, by leveraging the capabilities of iOS 4.0, the AR experience allows for natural feature tracking. It tells the story of Ben & Jerry’s platform of “It’s What’s Inside That Counts” while letting fans take advantage of breakthrough technology from wherever they are enjoying their pint. Currently, there are four pints that Moo Vision recognizes. Unlock them all and get some special background images.

The cows have come home, in terms of this technology. Using Moo Vision is like finding a prize inside your cereal box, except it’s on the outside! We’ve always loved sharing our story. Now, instead of just telling it, we can help our fans experience it by taking them on the journey with us. — Katie O’Brien, Global Digital Marketing Manager at Ben & Jerry’s

Be on the lookout for more surprises from Ben & Jerry’s over the next year as they go completely Fair Trade with their ingredients.

This is only the beginning of a bold and digital journey. (Seriously, my job is better than yours and I’m sorry to break that to you)

Digital Team: Peter DiBart, Sarah True, Albert Lewis, Evan Rosler, Lou Tehan. In conjunction with Circ.us

Libby Pigg
Edelman Digital, New York
Follow on Twitter @libbypigg

Tags: app, augmented reality, Ben & Jerry's, client, digital, Edelman Digital, iphone, Moo Vision, social media

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 at 11:00 am and is filed under Client Spotlight, Home Page. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

David Mayer

I'd say that this new application seems to kill multiple birds with one stone, but Ben & Jerry's doesn't seem like the kind of company that goes around killing birds. So I'll just say it's awesome.

The idea that this creates something fun for the consumer, promotes Ben & Jerry's message of ethical and sustainable practices, and keeps Ben & Jerry's relevant is amazing. It's also great that they have given the consumer something to engage with, rather than just passively look at.

It will be interesting to see if this has any effect on the sales of their ice cream, but even if it doesn't, it will no doubt have a terrific impact on the loyalty of those consumers who do engage with it.

Augmented reality has me more excited about the future than any other technology right now, because we've only scratched the surface of what it can do. Nice to see Edelman Digital and Ben & Jerry's taking such a fun and creative step forward.
Jhaniver

i love AR codes, best was one i saw for lego! i wish this one would work on my version of the iphone though.... another reason to upgrade it hm. ive seen ads in the subway with these worlds inside the pint adn they are amazing, really stunning. u can see them all on there website. did you do those or just use the art for the app? ben and jerrys rocks!!! moovision! lol
Libby Pigg

Jhaniver, Thanks for your comment. The diorama art that you see on the subways was not created by Edelman Digital, but by Amalgamated, Ben & Jerry's Advertising Agency.
It really is some beautiful creative, and our team along with Circ.us was absolutely thrilled to be able to take that art and create the AR experience. Hope you upgrade your phone so you can get moovisioning :)