Patagonia New York Times Ad Discourages Buyers
Katherinev123 — November 30, 2011 — Eco
References: thecleanestline & popsop
For Black Friday, the outdoor clothing company Patagonia ran an ad in the New York Times that I'm sure caused many readers to do a double-take. Probably to only ad to encourage readers to spend less on Black Friday, the Patagonia New York Times ad asked people not to buy the brand's R2 jacket, which is one of Patagonia's best-selling products.
The Patagonia New York Times ad is part of the company's Common Threads campaign, a sustainability initiative that asks its customers to reuse, recycle, repair or reduce their clothing and equipment. According to the company, each article of clothing -- organic or not -- will emit several times its weight in greenhouse gases, generate half a garment's worth of scrap and reduce amounts of freshwater. For example, the R2 jacket shown in the Patagonia New York Times ad requires 135 liters of water to make and generates 20 pounds of carbon dioxide from its origin to the company's warehouse in Reno.
In response to the ad, Patagonia stated in its blog, "It would be hypocritical for us to work for environmental change without encouraging customers to think before they buy. To reduce environmental damage, we all have to reduce consumption as well as make products in more environmentally sensitive, less harmful ways. It’s not hypocrisy for us to address the need to reduce consumption."
The Patagonia New York Times ad is part of the company's Common Threads campaign, a sustainability initiative that asks its customers to reuse, recycle, repair or reduce their clothing and equipment. According to the company, each article of clothing -- organic or not -- will emit several times its weight in greenhouse gases, generate half a garment's worth of scrap and reduce amounts of freshwater. For example, the R2 jacket shown in the Patagonia New York Times ad requires 135 liters of water to make and generates 20 pounds of carbon dioxide from its origin to the company's warehouse in Reno.
In response to the ad, Patagonia stated in its blog, "It would be hypocritical for us to work for environmental change without encouraging customers to think before they buy. To reduce environmental damage, we all have to reduce consumption as well as make products in more environmentally sensitive, less harmful ways. It’s not hypocrisy for us to address the need to reduce consumption."
Trend Themes
1. Sustainability Initiatives - There is an opportunity for businesses to launch sustainability initiatives like Patagonia's Common Threads campaign to encourage customers to reduce consumption and promote eco-friendly practices.
2. Consumer Consciousness - Businesses can tap into the growing trend of consumer consciousness by running campaigns that encourage customers to think before they buy and make more environmentally sensitive purchasing decisions.
3. Disruptive Advertising - Innovative ad campaigns like Patagonia's New York Times ad, which goes against the norm by discouraging product purchases, can disrupt traditional advertising models and capture attention.
Industry Implications
1. Outdoor Clothing - The outdoor clothing industry can incorporate sustainability practices and campaigns to address environmental concerns, reduce consumption, and lessen their ecological footprint.
2. Retail - Retailers can harness the trend of consumer consciousness to promote responsible consumption, sustainability, and offer eco-friendly product alternatives.
3. Advertising and Marketing - The advertising and marketing industry can explore disruptive advertising methods that challenge traditional norms and capture audience attention by encouraging non-traditional buying behaviors.
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