Who knew choc ices were an indicator of class?!
The first time I had to explain to someone what one was, I thought: “poor kid, imagine missing out on this diamond of a dessert?!”
When I had to explain to their parent what it was, I thought: “Oh, erm…what, is this not considered a dessert?”. And then offered them one. And they liked it (who wouldn’t?!).
Social mobility and class indicators I didn’t know existed
When I saw a meme, mocking choc ices that went along the lines of “when you ask mum for pudding and this rubbish is what she gets out of the freezer”, I was genuinely confused. What’s not to like about a mini block of vanilla ice cream enshrined in shiny chocolate?
And then I had a chat with Jezz Brown. And it turns out that these precious, paper-wrapped puddings are a working-class ‘tell’. And that not everyone knows what they are. And he too has had to explain what one is.
So! If you’ve never heard of, or had, a choc ice, get yourself familiar with them! They’re even featured in the Waitrose Essential range 😉
A choc ice and a post on social mobility gone viral
This post went viral on LinkedIn – if you are looking for some nostalgia and conversation over whether choc ices are indeed an indicator or class or more a moment in time, dive into the comments here: The Choc Ice Post on LinkedIn
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Class indicators like the ones in this post are exactly the sort of detail I bring into a social mobility keynote or panel. If you’d like me to speak at your event, the quickest way in is the contact form.