Don't buy this jacket
A case study in the Regulatory Power of Societal Alignment
Welcome to the Power Shifts newsletter. I’m Joseph Lavoie, a partner at Crestview, a global public affairs agency. Each week I share frameworks, playbooks, and case studies on designing effective public affairs strategies. I also explore my longstanding theory that every business is in the business of politics.
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TL;DR: In 2022, Patagonia made a landmark decision to dedicate all profits to environmental activism, cementing decades of societal alignment. Yet, the true source of Patagonia's regulatory power isn't just one big move, but the relentless accumulation of initiatives—most notably the iconic "Don't Buy This Jacket" campaign—that consistently align the company's mission with societal values.
On Black Friday in 2011, readers of The New York Times opened their papers to find something unconventional: a Patagonia jacket featured prominently under a bold headline reading, “Don’t Buy This Jacket.” It was an unprecedented move by a company deliberately urging consumers to buy less.
Today, as we continue exploring the 8 Regulatory Powers, we dive into Patagonia’s ability to apply the Power of Societal Alignment, showcasing how its actions not only responded to shifting expectations but actively accelerated societal change.
As a quick refresher, these powers are:
Regulatory Foresight: Anticipate what’s coming.
Government Engagement: Build influence through relationships.
Compliance Leadership: Go beyond minimum standards.
Advocacy Influence: Shape the regulatory narrative.
Coalition Building: Find strength in numbers.
Regulatory Adaptability: Design for agility.
Public Trust: Earn reputational capital.
Societal Alignment: Sync your goals with society’s.
Snapshot
In September 2022, Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, announced he was transferring ownership of the $3 billion company to two new entities: Patagonia Purpose Trust and the Holdfast Collective nonprofit. This unprecedented decision ensured that all future profits would fund efforts to combat the climate crisis. As he put it then, Patagonia has one shareholder: the planet.
If we’ve been following Patagonia’s journey closely, this announcement wouldn’t be surprising. Patagonia’s brand has always prioritized the planet ahead of profits, and this positioning isn't accidental. Its sustained commercial success stems directly from this relentless alignment with societal values—a powerful strategy decades in the making.
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