Loyalists in the Ice Cream Revolution

Brad’s article, “Why Does Ben & Jerry’s Have Such Loyal Customers?,” has been published in Marketing Magazine and is getting a lot of attention in England.  Here’s the lead, including their charming Anglican version of the word “tires”:

“People who buy Ben & Jerry’s ice cream are intensely devoted to the brand.  A few months ago, when I was finishing up the research for my book about the company, I heard a young woman thank co-founder Jerry Greenfield for helping her get over the end of a love affair. Greenfield had no idea what the woman was talking about, until she explained the custom of buying a pint of one’s favorite flavor and, between sobs, eating the whole thing. It gets you through the night, she said.

“Anything that delivers a concentrated dose of fat and sugar directly to the pleasure centers of the brain has a big advantage over tyres, insurance, and other less craveable products. But that isn’t the only reason for Ben & Jerry’s loyal customers. The company says it has spent the last 30 years making “the best possible ice cream in the nicest way possible,” and their customers love them for it.”