6 minute read
Changing the World, One Pint at a Time
BY ALISON POWER
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF, ON YOUR FIRST DAY OF WORK, YOU WERE ASKED, “ARE YOU READY TO HELP CHANGE THE WORLD?” REBECCA (WORTHINGTON) ROBINSON ’08 SERVES UP THE SCOOP ON HER CAREER AT BEN & JERRY’S.
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Rebecca (Worthington) Robinson ’08 was asked this very question on her first day with Ben & Jerry’s. Robinson is the head of brand marketing operations at Ben & Jerry’s for North America, leading the team responsible for go-to-market strategies, sales and operations planning, execution and financial targets in the U.S., and strategic oversight and accountability for the brand and product strategy in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. “It’s our job to be a part of end-to-end development and lead execution of marketing strategies that drive business performance and progressive values and deliver the fun and irreverence that define the Ben & Jerry’s brand,” says Robinson.
Ben & Jerry’s brand marketing operations make sure the magic happens crossfunctionally to bring ice cream to fans anywhere, anytime. It’s an ideal role for Robinson, an ambitious lifelong learner dedicated to elevating the already legendary brand.
Her craving for a unique experience is what attracted her to Clarkson. A native of Pavilion, a small town in western New York, she reflects, “Clarkson felt right from the moment I walked on campus. I was impressed with their programs, real-life focus and opportunity to get involved. The University offered more than what I saw when visiting other schools. It was clearly a place where I could explore many different areas and interests.”
And explore she did. With a major in international business and a minor in communications, Robinson spent a semester abroad in Italy, learning about the challenges facing multinational organizations, while also dabbling in ancient Roman art history. “I took an art history elective while abroad. The professor had us meet him all over the city for class. We would sit in front of the actual piece we were learning about — it was amazing. I will never forget being in the Sistine Chapel as we learned about Michelangelo.” It is an experience Robinson cites as demonstration of the kind of well-rounded education she received from Clarkson.
While in school, Robinson worked in the sports media office, played on the Golden Knights volleyball team, joined Delta Zeta and the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization and founded the Investment Club (still an active club over a decade later). As a business major, she took the foundational Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation course that gives students the opportunity to create and run their own business. “You truly learn lessons you can depend on once you are out of school and that are applicable to real life. It was far more than a textbook-only education,” she recalls of her experience. Robinson applied what she learned and was exposed to at Clarkson to what has been a nontraditional career path: from IT to digital marketing to customer development to >
sales and marketing. She started out at Johnson & Johnson, where she was part of an information technology leadership program that rotated participants across different divisions of the business. The rotation was formative and helped Robinson clarify the direction she wanted to pursue: sales and marketing. She went on to work for a small private company, Mentholatum, and was eventually recruited by Unilever to work in customer development on beauty and personal care products.
“Clarkson prepared me with a diverse mindset and skill set to be able to adapt to a large company or small company throughout my career so far. I’ve been fortunate to get to work with so many great people and brands within the [consumer packaged goods] industry.”
In 2018, she joined the team at Ben & Jerry’s, a wholly-owned autonomous subsidiary of Unilever, which operates its business on a threepart mission statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community. Robinson — who had been interested in the ice cream company and its mission for years — had proactively reached out to people there to say, “Hey, at some point, I really want to work with you.” She kept in touch and kept that network alive. “When the right opportunity came up, I interviewed with a lot of other candidates, but ultimately it was the right fit at the right time,” Robinson says.
“What I think is really inspiring and cool about Ben & Jerry’s is the company expects that we bring our whole selves to the office, not just our business experience” she says. “Ben & Jerry’s is a company that supports, provides opportunity and challenges their employees to continue their learning journeys across the three-part mission every day.”
During the pandemic, Ben & Jerry’s has been there for their fans. “We’ve provided comfort, fun and an indulgent moment people have needed, whether by themselves or with their families, throughout the pandemic,” Robinson reports.
And now the company is going beyond the nearly universal human love of ice cream — they recently introduced Ben & Jerry’s Doggie Desserts, a “frozen dog treat.” The company has a “strong dog culture,” Robinson said, with employees allowed to bring their pooches to work. “They’re not in public spaces or our kitchens,” she explains, “but they’re allowed in our offices. When you walk in, there are baby gates in doorways everywhere.” There was even an office competition to see whose dogs would end up on the Doggie Desserts packaging.
Robinson has had an impressive career and, by all accounts, is just getting started, though she is quick to give credit to the people who have helped her along the way. “The network created from my time at Clarkson is priceless,” she says. “The professors pushed us to be better and constantly challenged us. I will forever be indebted to what they taught me. Some professors I’ve stayed in touch with have become advisors, friends or collaborators in industry projects over the years.” Robinson does her part to pay it forward, mentoring students or recent alumni, and keeps an eye out for fellow Clarkson alums.
“I’m grateful for my four years at Clarkson. I made amazing friends, developed a strong network and gained a ton of experience. Clarkson taught me that if it doesn’t exist, there is nothing stopping you from creating it.”
CLARKSON’S BEN & JERRY’S™ NIGHTS
This beloved tradition marks the legacy of the first Honors Program gift from a late Clarkson University custodian, Shirley Nelson. Nelson admired hard workers who strive for excellence in their daily lives, particularly Clarkson Honors students. She wanted to fund an event that promotes student relaxation and enjoyment. At these impromptu get-togethers, students get to take a break and enjoy their favorite Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
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