November 30, 2016 | less than a minute read

Patagonia. A Masterclass in Brand Advocacy

Passle

Scrolling through my Facebook feed this afternoon, I could not believe some of the comments I saw on Business Insider's article about Patagonia (the clothing company) donating 100% of their global Black Friday sales to environmental non-profits.

Cause marketing can be very powerful, and Patagonia have long marketed their commitment to sustainability and environmental conservation. This latest gesture is already reaping stunning ROI with its gains in brand advocacy.

In the below picture, you can see just a few of the hundreds of statements from loyal Patagonia customers, who gladly shout about their loyalty to the brand. Some even comment on the brand's culture and how well they treat their employees. Scrolling through the comments, I thought - why does Ashley Varner from Ohio care about Patagonia's maternity/paternity program? They no doubt won his heart long ago with their cause marketing efforts, and carefully nurtured this relationship over time with compelling hub content. So powerful, and to my knowledge, I don't believe there are too many B2Bs out there that have employed a similar strategy.

While Patagonia has long proven its commitment to sustainability, this Black Friday the brand is making yet another grand gesture for the movement: In a recent statement, Patagonia's president and CEO Rose Marcario announced that on Black Friday, November 25, the company will give 100% of global sales from its retail stores and Patagonia.com to support grassroots environmental organizations. According to the statement, the money will go to “grassroots organizations working in local communities to protect our air, water and soil for future generations. These are small groups, often underfunded and under the radar, who work on the front lines.”