Having heard positive remarks about Patagonia, an outdoor apparel company, it occurred to me that one reason they are so highly regarded is due to their ethical business practices. These practices are a major contributor to their marketing strategy. Referring to Ethisphere, who publishes an annual list of the world’s most ethical companies, Patagonia was listed consecutively over the past 5 years. Furthering my research, I read through Patagonia’s website, discovering that a requirement of their involvement in the Fair Labor Association is to publically release the results of their random audits. Having their company completely exposed to the public eye creates a sense of comfort for the consumer because they feel that the company is ethical and honest in its business practices.
Patagonia’s target market is primarily outdoorsy, athletic people, who generally care about the environment and being health conscious. Therefore, they design products to appeal to this market. With their highly ethical environmental standards, and initiatives to protect many ecologically significant areas, they create an automatic connection between their target market and their company. This connection can influence these customers and any potentially new buyers to choose their company over a competitor.
The creation of the Enbridge Northern Pipeline that will extract and transport crude oil along the coastline of British Columbia in giant takers is a serious threat that many people are protesting against. Patagonia is an avid supporter of those who oppose the project. Being from the west coast of British Columbia these pipelines pose a great threat to my home and way of life; therefore, this ethical act among the many others is what makes me strongly attracted to Patagonia. This example illustrates how ethical actions can not only generate substantial profits, but also benefit society and play an important role in marketing a company.
Check out this YouTube Video! Patagonia in association with the pipeline.