California based eco activist outdoorwear brand Patagonia, which was founded in 1973 by renowned climber Yvon Chouinard, marked its 50th anniversary with a multi-faceted initiative blending ads and marketing with participatory projects, events and adventure and environmental skills education.
The adventure apparel brand’s campaign, rolling out in late February and early March 2023, states that it wants capitalism to evolve to save the world and states: “Together, let’s prioritize purpose over profit and protect this wondrous planet, our only home”.
Marking half a century in business, #Patagonia50, the campaign launched with a sustainability and eco focused hero spot running across its digital and social channels which simultaneously reflects on its achievements and sets out a manifesto for the future.
‘#Patagonia50 What’s Next’ dropped on 23 February and outlined the campaign’s umbrella objective: “For our 50th year, we’re looking forward, not back, to life on Earth. Together, we can prioritize purpose over profit, collaboration over competition and protect this wondrous planet, our only home. What’s next is unstoppable.”
The two-minute short film sees Patagonia highlight the challenges and problems it has been facing and fighting for decades and admits that these are getting worse. So it is delivering a call-to-arms to all citizens and consumers to “move away from the things that hold us back and ask for collaboration instead of competition, as we tackle the existential climate change crises”.
As the brand’s manifesto now states: “Together, we’ll answer the hardest questions: Can capitalism evolve? What does quality capitalism look like? How can we better rally our community to address the root causes of the climate and ecological crisis? Who are the unexpected partners that will join along the way?”
Comment
Ambitious, admirable and essential.
Patagonia is the brand humanity and the planet needs – now more than ever.
Since it was first founded, the company has been genuinely committed to sustainability, ecology and the future of the planet. Indeed, it was one of the earliest brand’s to formulate a purpose-led mission and has offered an admirable example to other companies and marketers in terms of how to build a brand and make quality products that do minimal harm to the planet.
Patagonia’s business model is deeply and authentically committed to try and protect the natural world.
Its early products drove the climbing community’s switch from leaving metal pitons in rock faces to eco-friendly removable and degradable chocks, while its first environmental grant was given to a non-profit to save a local surf break.
Since 1985 it has been donating 1% of its annual sales to fight climate, while in 2022 it founded ‘1% For The Planet’.
While its famous New York Times ‘Don’t Buy This Jacket’ 2011 Black Friday cover advert has become a touchstone for circular economy marketing.
Now its business model is to donate 100% of its profits to protecting the environment.
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