Colin Kaepernick, Ben & Jerry’s Launch 'Change The Whirled’ Social Campaign
Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 03:35PM By Barry Janoff
December 10, 2020: Colin Kaepernick has a new partner to help him bring his messages of racial injustice, prison reform and social equality to the people — and you’ll find them in the supermarket freezer aisle.
Ben & Jerry’s has joined with Kaepernick to launch Change The Whirled Non-Dairy dessert, fronted by a social activism campaign.
According to Ben & Jerry’s, “Kaepernick’s portion of the proceeds go to Know Your Rights Camp, an organization he founded to empower Black and Brown youth and elevate the voices of the next generation of racial justice leaders.
“Know Your Rights Camp hosts free camps across America and internationally, engaging Black and Brown youth around social justice issues through education and self-empowerment.”
The product — made with fudge chips, graham cracker swirls, chocolate cookie swirls and sunflower butter and is 100% certified vegan (“just like Kaepernick himself”)— will be available in 2021.
Ben & Jerry’s, said it first approached Kaepernick in 2018 to see if they could partner with Know Your Rights Camp through its limited release Pecan Resist flavor.
“We were using Pecan Resist to help raise funds for a number of crucial racial and social justice organizations and we wanted KYRC on that list.”
Although that plan did not come to fruition, Ben & Jerry’s said when they recently spoke with Kaepernick about Change The Whirled, they were able to build the alliance.
Kaepernick played six seasons in the NFL as quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers (2011-16, including a loss in Super Bowl XLVII to the Baltimore Ravens.
His on- and off-field protests against social injustice inspired support among other players and eventually led to a league-wide movement.
“We’ve known about and admired Colin Kaepernick for years,” said the Burlington, Vt-based ice cream company.
“First it was because of his skills and leadership on the football field. And then it was because of his efforts to use his position and his voice to protest police violence, systemic racism and white supremacy.
“He sacrificed his career just so that he could speak up for and stand with people who’ve been systematically oppressed. That kind of courage is uncommon — and desperately needed. “
In addition to supporting Know Your Rights Camp, Change The Whirled is back by a multi-media effort that enhances Kaepernick’s efforts via social media, digital and consumer activation.
“Ben & Jerry’s and Colin Kaepernick are teaming up in the struggle against police violence, systemic racism and White supremacy. It’s time to dismantle the systems of oppression and create alternatives rooted in community, accountability and well-being,” offers a 60-second spot.
“This is what resistance looks like. And it’s rooted in joy, love and justice. All of Colin’s proceeds from our new certified-vegan non-dairy flavor go to Know Your Rights Camp . . . Together we can change the Whirled.”
Ben & Jerry’s, a wholly-owned autonomous subsidiary of Unilever, has produced other products to support its message of “pushing for progressive change on society’s most important issues through awareness and activism.”
They have included Save Our Swirled (addressing climate change), I Dough I Dough (regarding the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in favor of marriage equality), Empower Mint (to honor the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which ended segregation in the school system) and Justice ReMix’d (criminal justice reform).
Regarding Kaepernick and Change The Whirled, Ben & Jerry’s offered, “We both care deeply about and focus much of our time and energy on advancing issues of social and racial justice. We both think ice cream creates joy and is a great way to bring people together.
“And we both are clearly talented enough to start at quarterback right this second for any professional football team.
“OK, two out of three ain’t bad.”
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