Steve's Ice Cream and Forsman & Bodenfors New York Crave the Unexpected

Steve’s Ice Cream, the ice cream brand that invented the artisanal ice cream movement with their creative flavor combinations, recently debuted an interactive campaign that aimed to not only re-launch the brand but also remind consumers of their artful history. Steve’s has a rich heritage as a forerunner in the craft ice cream movement - their original scoop shop in Somerville, Massachusetts opened in 1973 and inspired the Ben & Jerry’s brand, and in recent years their retail pint business pioneered great tasting dairy-free offerings. Over the past decade, the brand had built a passionate fan base that was sad to see the brand fall dormant in recent years, so with this relaunch, Steve’s wanted to inspire creativity by building crave-worthy product experiences that challenge convention.

Steve's Ice Cream tapped Forsman & Bodenfors New York to develop more than an advertising campaign that talked about creativity. They went all-in on our commitment to the arts and as an advocate of creativity by supporting real artists who specialise in the unexpected. Together, they wanted to allow the world the opportunity to interact with an artist’s work in real, tangible ways.

An immersive and unique partnership as the centerpiece

The centerpiece of the relaunch was the brand’s partnership with artist Dan Lam and Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), to create a fully interactive art exhibit that took over the museum’s harbor-facing facade.

Over the course of the summer, on June 9th, July 5th and August 2nd, Steve’s partnership with Lam and the collaboration with the ICA brought her colorful, gloopy, often oozing sculptures to life on a scale that Lam hadn’t been able to execute before. Rather than asking viewers to stand back and look at her work, the exhibit encouraged audiences to touch and play with her pieces, which are crafted with unexpected textures, colors, and materials not usually found in the art world. And of course, copious free samples of some of Steve’s most creative flavors were served.

Here is a highlights video of the summer fun that went down in Boston:

“We set out to honor Steve’s heritage while also breaking new ground in how to distinguish a brand in the premium ice cream space,” said Mark Schneider, Marketing Director, Ice Cream, Dean Foods. “Putting branded experiences that showcased Steve’s unique purpose at the center of the marketing campaign created a level of consumer engagement and conversation in ways a traditional advertising campaign simply can’t create.”

“As the original creators of the mix-in, Steve’s has a long history of creativity,” said Amber Wimmer, integrated production at F&B NY. “For the brand’s relaunch, we wanted to build off that creative heritage and encourage creativity in all forms, establishing Steve’s as a brand committed to bringing art to larger audiences through this immersive event and unique partnership.”