21 April seemed like an ordinary Tuesday afternoon — except for the hordes of students congregating in various locations across Singapore for a scoop of free ice-cream at Ben & Jerry’s!
At its Cathay branch, the queue snaked all the way from level two of the mall all the way to level three. The building security had to come in and maintain crowd control.
There was so much buzz even innocent passers-by (like me) joined in the queue for a free cone. A friendly Ben & Jerry’s crew member offered each one a range of flavours to choose from: Vanilla, Chocolate, Coffee, Chocolate Fudge Brownie or Chocolate Macadamia.
It seemed like it was not just free ice cream but a fun day out for all. At Cathay there was even entertainment, with a live band providing background sounds as one savored one’s ice cream.
While the cones were free, the crowd was encouraged to support Ben & Jerry’s adopted charity partner for the year, the Singapore Children’s Society, in aid of neglected and abused children. The society’s donation boxes were placed at convenient spots for those who felt inspired to give a little love and cash — after all, Ben & Jerry’s was already setting a great example!
Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day started as the company’s way of thanking loyal customers all over the world for their support and giving those who aren’t yet familiar with Ben & Jerry’s to give their ice cream a shot. Today, Ben & Jerry’s Singapore has 11 outlets, offering 22 flavors from Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough to Chunky Monkey to the hot favorite, Chocolate Fudge Brownie!
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| PHOTOS: Eugene Tay |
Heng Tong Yan, who queued for a cone, shared: “I think [Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day] something that I will look forward to every year. It’s intriguing to see so many people queue up for free ice cream.” She adds, “Personally I feel that the whole atmosphere and layout provided at the Ben & Jerry’s at the Cathay Branch all adds up to making the trip to Ben & Jerry’s, an awesome experience.”
Michelle, an employee of Ben & Jerry’s told City News, “Through Ben & Jerry’s vision of giving back to the community, I personally learned the importance of giving back to the community. For me, Ben & Jerry’s is a fun place to work at. Even if I wasn’t working for Ben & Jerry’s, I would definitely queue up for a scoop of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream!”
Judging by the size of the crowds, it’s clear that Ben & Jerry’s has scored some serious brownie points in Singapore — a public relations effort that should ensure a sweet payoff.
Meet you in queue at next year’s Free Cone Day!
