Brand Identity And Elements of Patagonia

Since its inception in 1973, Patagonia is an American clothing company that has sold quality outdoor apparel. The original store opened in Ventura and offered bespoke mountain climbing gear. Now, they also provide items for other outdoor sports making it the perfect place to find suitable clothing for your next outdoor adventure. Patagonia creates products that give you only the essentials with no additives or unnecessary weight or materials. Every item is designed with outdoor adventures in mind, so you know you have the gear to help you make the most of your outdoor experiences. This blog will explore Patagonia’s marketing tactics further. 

What is the identity of Patagonia?

Let’s look at what could be behind Patagonia’s extraordinary success. To uncover the identity of this fantastic brand, it might take some time to explore all the factors that played a part. But let us get started by revealing a few of the most important ones.

• Up until around 2011, Patagonia grew steadily on an even keel. It was privately owned and, most importantly, always focused on creating high-quality products and reducing its environmental impact, with values aligned with its mission. Then in 2011, a couple of things happened; one being the ‘Don’t buy this Jacket’ ad, which has achieved some notoriety.
  However, more importantly, customers became more conscious of the problems facing the Planet, societies, and communities. This opened up a new opportunity for Patagonia to advocate for these values and make a real difference. It was a moment in Patagonia’s history that showed alignment between customers’ needs and the company’s values.
• Patagonia has noticed that more and more people connect to them meaningfully, so the question they have to ask themselves is, what do we do next? Is this a chance to clean up their act and improve our supply chain? Or is this a window of opportunity where they can use the brand to build a bigger and better movement? They believe the answer is the latter – an action-oriented movement, with everyone included, which will significantly impact their values.
• Their mission statement is the lens that guides them as they strive to create a solid global movement in defense of the Planet. This statement was written a long time ago, in 1991, but it is still the single tool they use to make decisions. It is like introducing a new product, developing marketing ideas, or making any other initiative. With this mission statement, they can make quicker, bolder decisions, take risks, and maintain perfect alignment among them. It sharpens their decision-making processes to get to the result quickly and effectively. 
• Questioning yourself is the best way to ensure you make the right decisions. Have you considered whether you genuinely need a new jacket or want something in a different color? Remember that you can also fix up what you already have. If the answer is yes, and you will be purchasing a new jacket, ensuring it lasts for a good while is vital. Sewing on repairs, taking care of the material, and other garment care tasks can help you as the custodian of your items. 

Patagonia’s Brand Positioning.

Let’s look at this Instagram post to see what Patagonia’s brand positioning is all about. We can investigate it further together.

We are simply following a set of adventurous pictures. One in British Columbia and another in Big Sur. So, one is a mountain hike; the other is a deserted-beachy journey. 

The caption is simply telling its followers to select their adventure. That is because the world has so many treasures, and everyone can find the place of their heart according to their preferences.b This post is a valid representation of the latter. 

The exploration is one hint that we get from this post. Nobody has to say anything. Our eyes are enough to investigate these beautiful areas, even from the other side of the screen.

Product utilization in nature is another hint. Patagonia is perfectly suitable for the outdoors and accompanies people through hiking, biking, horseback riding, and other experiences. 

Lastly, as a brand, this post and Patagonia encourage people to express themselves freely.

At this point, the archetype Patagonia belongs to is the Explorer. 

If you want to understand archetypes better and how to communicate with them more effectively, “8 Steps” is the perfect e-book for you. Reading through its pages, you will get the complete picture of how to answer all those branding questions. It is sure to give you loads of insight.

Now let us continue investigating Patagonia further. What do we know about its archetype, the Explorer?

• The desire of the archetype is the fulfillment of curiosity and discovering identity by traveling the world.
• This archetype aims to help lead a better, more meaningful, and more enjoyable life.
• This archetype’s strategy for life is all about adventure. It is about exploring new places, trying new things, and breaking out of the dull, repetitive rut.

Other brands of the Explorer archetype are Amelia Earhart, The North Face, Jeep, and GoPro. 

The messaging levels of the archetype are the following:

1. The archetype’s call is discontentment, estrangement, restlessness, boredom, and yearning.
2. The archetype enjoys being in nature, going to the open road, and researching the world. 
3. The archetype pursues its uniqueness to individuate and become more content. 
4. The archetype communicates originality and individuality. 

The Explorer archetype is the right fit for your brand if:

1. Your product helps people gain freedom, explore new ideas, and be pioneers uniquely. 
2. Your product is designed to handle whatever lifestyle or job you may be doing, from enjoying nature to working in hazardous conditions. It is built to be rugged and reliable, so you can confidently go about your day.
3. Your product can be purchased in various ways; you can look through a catalog, order it online, or explore other options.
4. Your product allows people to show who they are through fashion and home decor. It is a way to express your style and have fun with it.
5. Your product is perfect for those busy schedules; you can pick it up and enjoy it while on the go. 
6. Your brand has a culture of exploration.

Exploring the unique identity of Patagonia is an excellent notion. Let us take a detailed look at their positioning techniques. They have three essential elements to consider.

• First, the item scope and any betterments
• Second, the results and how it differentiates in correspondence to the competition
• Third, the core narrative, what makes Patagonia and its items so unique? 

Brand Identity of Patagonia

Category

Although it may seem counterintuitive to their mission, Patagonia’s environmental focus and efforts to promote used Wear have only propelled the popularity of their high-quality outdoor clothing. Their tasks toward sustainability have allowed them to defy the struggles of traditional retailers and push forward with a successful business model that many companies seek to achieve. It is clear why their consumers have stuck with them since Patagonia’s dedication to their cause has paid off in the long run.

Benefits and differentiation

Although many brands sought to stand out among the noise during Black Friday weekend by offering the most significant discounts, Patagonia used its unique brand to create a distinct difference. This annual shopping holiday has spread far and wide, but Patagonia has yet to utilize it as effectively. With their legendary ‘don’t buy this jacket’ ad, they set the bar for innovative and effective Black Friday campaigns in the 2000s, and their success is still respected today.

Patagonia is a socially responsible brand that aims to make a positive difference in the world. They know that looking after the earth is not in the best interests of their business and are happy to be reducing their manufacturing outputs. As proof of their commitment, Patagonia is part of 1% for the Planet, an initiative committing 1% of their net annual sales to grassroots environmental causes. So far, they have given a generous $ 74 million to similar campaigns.

The core communication idea

Surfing radical waves is like wallpaper for the surf industry regarding communication with other surfers. Patagonia has had some remarkable successes with mixing up that formula and has been able to talk to beach lovers like themselves. But it is so much more than that. If they use their business for good, they can be an inspiration and use it to implement solutions for the environmental crisis.

One of the main things they are doing is helping and educating civil society so they can have an even better impact on our environment. To make this happen, they are using a platform called Worn Wear. It is a wear repair platform, and it is effortless. They first did it, starting as ‘Don’t Buy This Jacket.’ Now it has become Worn Wear, and it is helping many people.

This might initially seem confusing, but Don’t Buy This Jacket does not mean that Patagonia is trying to drum up interest with a contradictory approach. Take it literally; if you do not need the jacket, do not buy it.

Brand elements of Patagonia. 

Let’s look at some crucial components of building a successful brand. We need to consider factors like the slogan, logo, and archetype. 

The name element:

The captivating name of Patagonia comes from the tremendous mountainous region in South America that houses the southern area of the Andean mountain range; how stunning.

Patagonia is a beautiful place, full of rolling hills and gorgeous landscapes. It is an excellent name for this unique part of the world.

The logo element:

Patagonia’s logo pays tribute to the oscillating peaks of Monte Fitz Roy, a mountain which, though famously tricky to climb, was conquered in 1968 by Chouinard and documented in the movie Fitzroy. 

If you have ever gone fly fishing, you will certainly recognize the iconic Patagonia Fitz Roy Trout Sticker. It is an iconic logo, for sure.

The slogan element:

Patagonia has come a long way from its original mission statement of “building the best product, causing no unnecessary harm, and using business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” For the past 45 years, it has steered towards this directive.

But as the company has grown and developed into a more integrated firm with an increasingly comprehensive vision, its mission statement has been updated to its current one: “We’re in business to save our home planet.” The latter emphasizes the importance of its products and business model in positively impacting the world. With this mission, Patagonia hopes to extend its reach beyond just its regular customers and provide more comprehensive benefits to all.

The color element:

Patagonia mainly uses darker colors in browns, blues, and greys. This amazingly reflects the company’s outdoor-based approach and focus.

In case of getting dirty because of nature, these colors have the best camouflage effect, making them perfect for outdoor activities. 

The website:

The Patagonia website is simple, reflecting its overall strategy and color palette. 

It has an intentional layout with the central section in the middle, a nav bar on top, and additional information at the bottom. 

The website is user-friendly, with a lot of automated guidance. 

That’s all for now on the blog. We have closely examined Patagonia’s marketing practices to understand better why they have achieved such great success. For more information on other top brands, visit us on the main website for more blogs.