After reading an interview with PATAGONIA CEO Rose Marcario here, I finally felt tempted to write my first ever Linkedin post. Most of this might be old news to some, but these stories last. They do not get lost on the WWW. So here we go.
I have seen a lot of advertisements over the years, but making sure that you do NOT buy a jacket, just because you like it, but rather because you really need it, goes beyond beauty. Patagonia pulls something off that many marketers strive for: authenticity.
In the interview, Rose Marcario pins it perfectly: “A lot of people talk about the ‘DON’T BUY THIS JACKET’ ad, but what it really was saying was, ‘DON’T BUY MORE THAN YOU NEED’.”
Look at the video below on what they did for Worn Wear – a story about how long their products last. If you can, take the 28 mins – there are so many great stories embedded in this short film.
The campaign also featured other simple images, such as this one:
In a fast turning marketing world, I am happy and glad to see that this kind of story telling is successful. What it also proves to me is that you cannot buy authenticity that easily. It has to be part of your culture.
How far Patagonia is taking it can be seen in the following trailer about the documentary DamNation. A documentary about the impacts of dams on the environment. Funded by the company, there is no real financial link or even far fetched goal for Patagonia. It just makes the brand credible. Very credible to their customers.
And on a minor side note: I do not – yet – own any piece of Patagonia wear. I literally just found them. To proof to you how good this kind of campaign can be though, I will visit my first ever Patagonia shop near me – and follow this company on their journey. I am tempted to find out how long their stuff lasts.
