Steve's Ice Cream®, a Dean Foods Company (NYSE: DF), is joining forces with art and artists this summer to curate immersive consumer activations that celebrate and encourage the unexpected. In conjunction with Steve's recent brand refresh – consisting of innovative new flavor combinations and artist-designed packaging – these partnerships, and the exciting art that is being born out of the collaborations, honor the brand's long-standing commitment to inspire creativity, challenge convention, and create crave-worthy product experiences.
Born in Boston, Steve's returns to its roots and relaunches in a significantly and unusually stunning way by teaming up with the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston (ICA). Steve's has enlisted acclaimed artist Dan Lam to create three uniquely immersive experiences along the ICA's harbor front this summer. Giving visitors an out-of-the-ordinary museum experience, Lam's large-scale "drip" and "blob" pieces will take over and ultimately transform the façade and steps of the ICA during three exciting events this summer: The museum's Harbor Market on June 9, and ICA First Fridays on July 5 and August 2.
"This is the most epic project I have ever done," said artist Dan Lam. "I've had these ideas in my head for a while and to have a platform to finally make them come alive and share my work on a large, immersive, interactive scale at the ICA's beautiful location is amazing. It's also exciting to know that I'm working with Steve's, a brand that supports my vision and allows me complete creative freedom."
These three marquee experiences will merge the worlds of art and ice cream in ways both surprising and delicious, with some of Steve's iconic and new flavors being sampled as visitors to the ICA are wandering, soaking in and engaging with Lam's unique sculptures and singular vision. Her work, immersive in how the public can interact with them, are multisensory, allowing attendees to see and touch the pieces. For more details on these three activations, visit https://www.icaboston.org/calendar.
Steve's also heads to Dallas this summer, as a part of The Sweet Tooth Hotel's third immersive art installation, Discotech. Well known for creating unique art-focused experiences, this vibrant destination makes for a perfect partnership, as the brand continues to celebrate its ongoing commitment to deliver against consumers' desire for exciting new experiences and artisanship. The brand enlisted the talents of local artist Jeremy Biggers to create an indulgent mural that currently lives in the lobby of The Sweet Tooth Hotel and brings to life the creatively unexpected spirit of Steve's.
"The experience of enjoying Steve's Ice Cream is similar to how people digest my artwork," said artist Jeremy Biggers. "There's the initial reaction of seeing a graphic background or tasting the base flavor, and then you experience all of the complexities – like the global inspirations layered into one pint of Steve's. That parallel made it very effortless for me to capture the spirit of the brand."
Visitors to The Sweet Tooth Hotel can experience Biggers' visionary 15' x 15' mural with an LED ice cream cone – and sample some of that inspirational and artisan Steve's Ice Cream – now through December. Go to www.SweetToothHotel.com for more details.
Consumers across the nation can follow the brand's social media channels, @stevesicecream, for the most up-to-date announcements on all of the ways Steve's is making this summer's ice cream season so unexpectedly and creatively tasty.
Steve's Ice Cream is available in both dairy and dairy-free flavors in the freezer department at select grocery retailers nationwide, including Albertsons/Safeway divisions (including Tom Thumb stores), Ahold locations, Target, Harris-Teeter and Wegmans. To learn more about Steve's Ice Cream products, visit StevesIceCream.com.