Consumers Care – Patagonia’s Black Friday Sales Show Support for the Environment

Patagonia – an outdoor clothing and gear company, made a bold statement in support of the environment.  A few days before Black Friday, the company announced that it would donate 100% of sales on November 25 to grassroots environmental organizations.  It’s commonplace for companies to pledge a percentage of sales, but 100% on one of the largest shopping days of the year is unheard of.

This strategy paid off.  Patagonia raised $10 million, $8 million more than they estimated.  The people have spoken and they overwhelmingly support the environmental initiatives of grassroots organizations and brands that support them. Patagonia’s strategy ensures that grassroots organizations like Clean Air Council receive much-needed funding while Patagonia receives a well-deserved boost in brand loyalty, positive recognition, and most importantly sales.

90% of consumers would switch brands to one associated with a social or environmental cause according to the 2015 Cone Communications/Ubiquity Global CSR Study.  This is what makes strategic partnerships so important.  As government funding will undoubtedly, become limited, grassroots organizations need to raise funds to support their mission from new funding sources. Partnering with a business whose products and brand align with the organization’s mission provides the non-profit with resources and the business with sales opportunities.

As the Council continues to grow and meet new challenges, the importance of strong relationships with companies that are doing the right thing is paramount. The Council is always looking for new partners.  If your business or organization is interested in partnering, I welcome you to contact me, Joe Minott, at 215-567-4004, ext. 116 or joe_minott@cleanair.org.