Ben and Jerry's Aims for Funny and Delicious With 'Schweddy Balls' Ice Cream
National iconic ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s announced the new “Schweddy Balls” flavor Wednesday, adding to a long list of humorous flavor names.
The limited-time special flavor was inspired by the 1999 Saturday Night Live skit starring Alec Baldwin as Pete Schweddy. “Schweddy Balls” features vanilla ice cream with fudge-covered rum balls and milk chocolate malt balls.
Ben & Jerry’s spokesperson Sean Greenwood told Time Magazine, “The name is irreverent.”
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The company, well-known for its clever-titled flavors, has “always been about having some irreverence and having some fun…,” said Greenwood.
Controversially supporting Vermont’s legalizing of gay marriage in 2009, Ben & Jerry’s cunningly renamed its famous “Chubby Hubby” ice cream flavor to “Hubby Hubby.” The new flavor name was produced in partnership with the activist group Freedom to Marry.
The altered name of the famous peanut butter, pretzel, and cookie dough ice cream lasted through September of that year, and CEO of Ben & Jerry’s, Wal Freese, explained the stance of the company in a press release.
“The legalization of marriage for gay and lesbian couples in Vermont is certainly a step in the right direction, and something worth celebrating with peace, love – and plenty of ice cream,” said Freese.
Ben & Jerry’s “Karamel Sutra” flavor name is sure to produce a smile. The caramel and fudge ice cream title references the name of the Indian Hindu text, Kama Sutra, about human sexual behavior.
The ice cream maker’s marshmallow vanilla ice cream flavor, “Clusterfluff,” was taken off the market and renamed “What a Cluster” due to a request from the Fluff Company.
Spokesperson Greenwood told The Christian Post that every decision made at Ben & Jerry’s revolves around part of their motto, “If it’s not fun, why do it?”
Feeling a social responsibility, the ice cream company clearly uses humor mixed with business. Greenwood shared that since the company started in 1979, to “give back to the community” takes precedence.
Ice cream, Greenwood said, is a “feel good product,” and the department at Ben & Jerry’s responsible for naming flavors “make a holistic effort to tie into pop culture,” creating entertaining names.
Noteworthy retired flavors include “Holy Cannoli,” named after Will Ferrell’s Saturday Night Live skit, and featured vanilla pistachio ice cream, mascarpone cheese, and cannoli pieces in cocoa.
Also, Ben & Jerry’s “Pulp Addiction,” intended to imitate the 1994 film “Pulp Fiction,” contained orange ice cream with orange flavored brandy liqueur.
In another imitation of a famous movie title, Ben & Jerry’s retired “The Full VerMonty,” which featured maple ice cream with caramel and pecans.
The newest flavor, “Schweddy Balls,” is available in Ben & Jerry’s Scoops Stores and can be found in 30 percent of stores selling the company’s ice cream, for a limited time only.
