Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman

Patagonia markets an authentic image of itself. Paradoxically, this authenticity derives from the team’s lack of concern about its image. Its substance originates from the passion for the outdoors and environmentalism shared by its employees and founders. In Chouinard’s words:

Patagonia’s image is a human voice. It expresses the joy of people who love the world, who are passionate about their beliefs, and who want to influence the future. It is not processed; it won’t compromise its humanity. This means that it will offend, and it will inspire (198).

A typical TV watcher has to see an ad around seven times to register it. With its alternative marketing, Patagonia hopes to cut through the frenetic stream of images and products and grab customers’ attention. For many years, it largely achieved this goal through the catalog. The catalog that started during the days of Chouinard’s fledgling tool company came to define Patagonia’s brand—it was equally about selling the company and its values as it was about selling product. As Chouinard puts it, the “primary purpose of our catalogs is to serve as a vehicle to communicate with our customers” (181).

The catalog didn’t look like any other: It focused less on presenting products and more on presenting a lifestyle defined by immersion in the peace and wonder of nature and a commitment to its protection.