Fudgie, Footage, and Fortune: How Tom Carvel Made DIY Marketing a Thing

Are you more likely to engage with content that feels scripted, salesy, and in-your-face, or something that simply feels human and relatable? Let’s be honest—the first option can be a bit of a choke fest. So, we're guessing you prefer the latter too.

While brands have caught on to this idea today, it wasn’t always the case—especially in the ‘70s.

Polished, professional productions with crisp graphics, trained actors, and orchestral background scores, everything that feels like your clean-freak sister’s room. Yep that. Brands like Coca-Cola, Sears, and McDonald's made sure every second of their ads screamed "we’ve got our act together." And then came into the picture, literally, Tom Carvel, ahead of his time or just somebody who wanted to save some bucks, who knows?

The DIY Disruptor

Now, you might know Tom as the guy who invented soft-serve ice cream, but to a select few, he's the original king of DIY advertising. While other brands were rolling out their shiny, perfect commercials, Carvel's ads were... well, a little different. Think grainy, handheld camera footage, shots of industrial ice cream dispensers that seemed more at home in a factory tour than a TV ad, and a general “did they even plan this?” vibe. But that was Carvel’s genius.

Mic Test Done Right

Here’s the kicker: not only did he insist on producing his own commercials, but Carvel also insisted on voicing them himself. And forget about scripts. His voice—coarse, gravelly, and the opposite of polished—would just riff through the ad, with no edits. It wasn’t glamorous, it wasn’t fancy, but it worked.

While most brands of that era wanted to seem larger-than-life and unattainable, Carvel leaned into being real, approachable, and, dare I say, human. He showed that you didn’t need a massive budget or sleek production to connect with customers—you just needed to be authentic. His homespun approach laid the foundation for the future of marketing, where personality and relatability are often more important than perfection. He was living proof that marketing success doesn’t always depend on dazzling visuals but on how genuine you can be.

Grassroots Genius

Carvel also understood grassroots marketing before it was a thing. His in-store promos, giveaways, and community involvement were low-cost but high-impact. It’s the kind of stuff today’s small business owners dream of: simple, affordable ways to build brand loyalty. And let’s not forget his iconic creation, Fudgie the Whale. That cake was more than just dessert; it was a marketing genius. By creating unique, memorable products, Carvel relied less on flashy ads and more on word-of-mouth excitement.

Carvel’s Marvel

Fast forward to today, and Carvel’s influence is everywhere. From Zomato’s cheeky social media posts to Apple’s minimalistic product launches, brands are still striving to be authentic and establish their own distinct voice. They understand what Carvel knew decades ago: being authentic, consistent, and relatable often trumps big-budget marketing.

Carvel might not have had Instagram or X, but his approach to DIY marketing was way ahead of its time. He proved that you don’t need fancy visuals or expensive production to make an impact. All you really need is a good product, a genuine voice, and the willingness to be a little different.