When Ben & Jerry’s set out to better understand their customers, they didn’t just look at surveys or social media likes — they turned to AI. With support from parent company Unilever’s global AI data centers, the team analyzed vast amounts of unstructured cultural data: song lyrics, movie dialogue, social media posts, and even book excerpts.
One quirky but powerful insight stood out: “ice cream for breakfast” was a recurring theme. AI surfaced at least 50 songs referencing it, alongside a growing number of social mentions and even real-world examples — like Dunkin’ Donuts offering ice cream in the morning.
Instead of brushing it off as novelty, Ben & Jerry’s saw opportunity.
They launched breakfast-themed flavors — including Fruit Loot and Frozen Flakes — tapping into the nostalgic, rebellious joy of morning indulgence. The campaign, launched in 2017, was supported by both digital and offline marketing focused on the fun and surprise of flipping the script on breakfast.
Unilever Uses AI in Marketing
According to Stan Sthanunathan, then Executive Vice President of Unilever:
“The movies we watch, the books we read, all influence our thinking. If you can analyze every single piece of dialogue in a movie or song, we may be able to unearth something meaningful… We started mining unstructured data to get metaphors and identify emerging trends.”
Key takeaway: This campaign became more than a flavor drop — it’s now a benchmark for how AI can fuel innovation beyond media buying or personalization. It’s about using technology to listen better, spot patterns we might overlook, and act with creative confidence.
