Ben and Jerrys Logo

Ben and Jerrys Logo PNG

The Ben and Jerrys logo is simple and recognizable. The emblem hints at the main ingredients used to create their sweet treats. Behind the symbols lies stability and loyalty to beloved flavors.

Meaning and History

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield initially conceived the ice cream business as a temporary springboard to raise money for freight transportation. The partners planned to buy a truck within a year and transport goods. However, the sweet brand was so successful that within two years, the friends were distributing ice cream to stores across the country and opening branded shops. Within ten years, Ben & Jerry’s received an award for a successful small business from the President of the United States.

The full name of the company is Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings. But only the first part, which tells the story of the friendship between the two hippies who decided to start a business that brings joy to people, is used for the logo.

What is Ben and Jerry’s?

A famous ice cream brand produced in pints. The brand was founded by two friends in 1978. In addition to ice cream, Ben & Jerry’s also offers sorbet, sherbet, cookies, pancakes, frozen yogurt, and other sweet products under its name.

1978 – 1979

The first logo was intended to show that Ben & Jerry’s ice cream was made to perfection. Considering that the creators were former hippies who highly valued music, the choice of concept was quite fitting.

Inside an oval frame was a piano, with ice cream coming out of the top lid and a cash register tape on the sides. When playing the piano, the tape moved, and the ordered popsicle or crème brûlée appeared at the top.

Three scoops of ice cream, generously decorated with fruits and nuts and drizzled with chocolate, demonstrated the abundance of options and flavors. Napkins on the front of the instrument indicated attentive service.

The checks were engraved with the phrases “incredible ice cream” and “amazing pancakes.” The name of the company and the message about handmade production were placed around the oval. Before opening a kiosk in a former gas station, the partners took correspondence courses in ice cream making at the University of Pennsylvania. The inscription also indicated that each customer could create their dessert, combining its fillings and toppings.

The choice of using first names rather than surnames for the brand emphasized the philosophy of universal love preached by hippies and the long-standing friendship between the partners. Names allowed the owners to become closer to customers and communicate with them as equals, like friends. Sweet desserts are mainly bought for children; addressing adults by their first names is quite childlike. Therefore, the name was conducive to making a purchase.

1979 – 198?

The brand became incredibly popular. People from all over the city flocked to the small shop to buy a portion. Therefore, the friends decided to continue the business. To mark their success, they established Free Cone Day on the brand’s founding date, when their cones were given away for free.

The logo was simplified, leaving only the name, as the combination of Ben & Jerry’s no longer needed additional images. The partners wanted customers to absorb and remember the main focus visually.

However, they couldn’t completely abandon the cheerful mood. To the simple names in a black serif font, they added a bright element in the form of an “&.” The lines of the ampersand were colored in three shades: red at the top, yellow in the middle, and blue at the bottom. The color scheme reminded customers of the variety of flavors and the multitude of sensations their taste buds would experience – from delight to cold.

The symbol “&” was slightly transformed. It resembled a teacup with steam rising from it and a bowl with scoops of ice cream and a spoon. This element indicated a sweet, delicious treat and a café where one could order dessert and a drink.

199? – 1998

Ice cream production expanded. Franchise stores appeared, and delivery was available throughout the country in packaged containers. For the round cups of their products, a logo in the style of a vinyl record was designed. It featured a black circle with a photo of the partners in the center and a white inscription around the rim, “Ice Cream by Ben & Jerry’s.”

The logo emphasized the personalities behind the brand. The photo brought the producers closer to the customers, making them realize that they were dealing with specific individuals rather than a faceless factory. The visual connection built trust, and the smiling faces conveyed the friendliness of the brand.

The black and white style alluded to timeless values and time-tested quality. During this period, the friends began to take an interest in raising funds for improving Earth’s ecology, opposing the use of recombinant hormones for animals, and supporting a children’s protection fund. As a result, the brand became a producer of tasty desserts and a promoter of ideas that improved life.

1998 – today

In celebration of the company’s 20th anniversary, a complete image overhaul was undertaken. A new packaging design was created for pints of ice cream, and the logo was changed.

The emblem consists of the brand’s name in white font placed on a black arc-shaped background with a yellow outline. The arc and background suggest the packaging containing the portion. The curve, like an awning, represents the protection under which all products produced by the company are distributed.

Often, a blue symbol depicting a cow is displayed on the packaging, which appeared after the brand began fighting for the health of dairy breeds and the preservation of family farms.

Two years later, the founders sold the business. Since the acquisition, the active development of the brand has ceased, stopping at what had been achieved.

Font and Colors

The primary brand colors are white, black, and yellow. The black color hints at chocolate, the yellow line reminds customers of caramel, crispy wafers, and pancakes, while the white letters symbolize vanilla ice cream. Although the company offers many different dessert variations, vanilla ice cream was chosen as a reminder of the events of 1983 when the largest ice cream at the time, weighing 27,000 pounds, was made from Ben & Jerry’s products.

The font of the inscription resembles Bixa Black and Burger Italic with sharp serifs and a rounded drop at the end of the J, similar to a scoop of ice cream.

Ben and Jerrys color codes