To start a conversation, provoke brand re-appraisal and saliency across EMEA, driving informed product purchase decisions for both technical and lifestyle audiences. On the surface there is very little to differentiate a Patagonia product from a competitor's. A large proportion of EMEA consumers are proud Patagonia badge wearers, but with little brand knowledge beyond the retro styling and the iconic brand mark. Making purchase decisions based on colour and price-point wasn’t enough. Patagonia wanted these to be informed decisions with purpose, creating brand advocacy in the process.
The subject of supply chains is rarely a sexy one, but we knew that Patagonia’s supply chain story was key to convincing people to buy a Patagonia product over that of one of its competitors. From a product’s roots in raw materials, the farming processes and water usage, to the transport used. Every stage in the production process is an ethical decision which should in turn inform the consumer purchasing decision.
Our mission was to frame a complex supply chain story with a simple statement of Patagonia’s ethos; drawing people into seeing the product through an ethical lens not just a sartorial one.
Our solution was simple: amplify the mission and build brand citizenship. Create a platform to tell product stories that exemplify the mission statement.
The answer was staring us in the face – the company's mission statement hanging above the entrance to Patagonia’s European Headquarters. It had only been used internally up until this point but, by sharing it externally, we could provoke and own the conversation around sustainability, driving further enquiry into the brand and its purpose.
The brand mission statement taking centre-stage in retail, it would become the story-telling centre for Patagonia shop-in-shops across Europe. Whereas, projected at scale on the side of a building, it would be a call to arms for a more progressive audience to explore the ethical backstory of the brand. And thereby, provide context for the stories of key products such as the Nanopuff, creating a framework for future product and brand stories.
Patagonia is a brand whose sense of purpose is the cornerstone from which it has grown. They wanted to distinguish themselves from other brands jumping on the ‘greenwashing’ bandwagon without the same credentials. It was time to confidently stand up and pin their colours to the mast.
Whilst the mission statement rolled out across European retail, a square mile in Shoreditch, London became the epicenter for the ‘Our Mission’ campaign. A combination of murals, OOH, flysheets, retail windows, events, screenings and talks to engage the local community, culminated in a popular 'Worn Wear' thrift shop selling second-hand, repaired Patagonia products on Black Friday. The event was a huge success with a complete sell-out of all stock, queues around the block, and a huge amount of social media coverage and earned media. 100% of the profits were donated to the ‘1% For the Planet’ initiative.