-Conducted an audit of an existing company’s digital marketing
strategy.
-Developed criteria for the audit that is appropriate to the sector and
industry and applied those criteria to assess the digital marketing capabilities of the
company.
-Followed the company throughout the semester; signed up
for e-newsletters, etc. Observations lead to recommendations.
3. Patagonia History
● Founder Yvon Chouniard, got his start as a climber in 1953
○ Started at the age of 14
○ Became a member of the Southern California Falconry Club
● Built a small shop in his parents’ backyard in Burbank
○ 1970 - business became the largest supplier of climbing hardware
○ However, became an environmental villain as his gear damaged the rock
● Led Patagonia to devote time and money to help the environment
○ Switched to organic cotton
○ Used more hemp mixed with recycled polyester
● This movement eventually led to their mission statement
○ “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to
inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”
4. SWOT Analysis
Strengths
● High-quality products
● Environmentally friendly business
● Manufacturing process
● Low employee turnover
Weakness
● Low employee turnover
● Few customer loyalty initiatives
● Less fashionable apparel compared to
competitors
● Price
Opportunities
● Increase of online spending
● Increase of environmental activism
● Expand target market
● Expand to new countries
Threats
● Competition (Columbia, North Face, REI,
etc)
● Ageing target market
5. Situational Analysis
● Patagonia is a business that operates as an apparel company.
● The company focuses on the sales of apparel for the outdoors and other
adventurous activities.
○ Alpine Climbing
○ Hiking
○ Snowboarding
○ Surfing
○ Yoga
● Values reflects the minimalist lifestyle once created by a band of
climbers and surfers
○ Style created based off of this
● A very environmentally safe company that focuses on reusable clothing
while using safe materials to produce the apparel
6. Situational Analysis
● Resonates with target audience via social media
○ Facebook
○ Twitter
○ Blog - “The Cleanest Line”
● At odds with the planned obsolescence approach
○ Environmental and social events promoted online
● Uses storytelling to turn consumers into activists
○ Used its catalog and website as an editorial outlet
for stories
○ Promotes ambassadors through various events
Current Digital
Marketing Activities
7. Marketing Objectives
● Improve product awareness and enhance customer relationships by showing
consumers what goes into products
○ For example: taking out a full-page ad that detailed environmental costs of a top-selling
sweater
● Enhance customer relationships by allowing customers to share their stories
and helping customers reach their goals
○ Worn Well Program teaches consumers how to repair their worn apparel
○ The company releases content that instruct consumers (ex. How to master fly-fishing)
● Have the brand be recognized as an activist company and a leader in
pushing for environmental awareness and environmentalism
○ For example: Patagonia commits 1% of their total sales or 10% of their profit, whichever is
more, to environmental groups
8. Target Audience
1. Consumers whose interests
center around athletics
2. Consumers who are heavily
invested in making a better
future
3. Consumers who are looking for
athletic apparel
9. Target Audience [Cont.]:
Digital Platforms
● Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
● All have the same aesthetic in looks
○ Very nature based
● Have very similar messages
● Use it as a platform to express
their messages and values
○ Ex. Bear Ears lawsuit against
President Trump
● Quick replies to customers
10. Integrated Marketing
Communications
“Worn Wear” Tour Campaign:
● “Keep our gear in action longer and reduce
your need to buy more over time.”
● 7 week cross-country pop-up product tour
○ 21 stops along the way
● Blended PR, digital/social and guerilla
marketing tactics
● A traveling content strategist followed the
tour and posted fans’ testimonials and
stories
○ 11.075 total tour attendees
○ 88% merchandise sell-through rate during
tour
Credit: Amp Agency
11. Content Marketing Strategy
● To get its message across, Patagonia uses content to build a passionate
community of people who share their values – and eventually support the company
through purchases
● Short films & blog posts to show their environmental activism
○ Interactive film experience Defend Bears Ears (March 2017)
○ Complimentary blog post entitled Keep Public Lands in Public Hands
● Anti-Black Friday Campaign titled “Don’t Buy This Jacket”
○ Idea was to make people aware of their consumerism
12. Content Marketing Strategy (cont.)
● Advertising is “dead last” priority as described by VP of Marketing
● Shows useful information to gain attention and enhance people's’ lives
● Website:
○ Extremely transparent about what goes into their clothes and supply chain and production processes (e.g.
labor practices)
○ Relay more messages about their initiatives rather than their products
○ Product review videos on almost every type of product
Homepage Sliders
Responsibili Tees
13. Customer Experience
Authenticity: Patagonia’s brand and
experience
● Patagonia’s ideology is consistent
in social and ecommerce
Metrics
● Digital: Impressions, clicks,
conversions, leads
● Social: Shares, likes, follows, views
15. Digital Marketing Strategy Checklist
● Blog
● YouTube
● Twitter
● Facebook
● Instagram
● Tumblr
● Google+
16. Digital Marketing Strategy - YouTube
Currently 725 uploads
16,743,051 total views since 2006
-Short documentaries & films (much
more engagement)
-Product review videos
The videos provide information on
● Product function
● Product material
○ How inputs are
sustainable
● DOES NOT INCLUDE
○ Glamorous description
○ Overselling
○ Unnecessary detailing
Socialblade Rankings
18. Digital Marketing Strategy - Facebook
A platform for all content, together
Coordinate with ecommerce (site)
strategy for retargeting
19. Digital Marketing Strategy - Instagram
Socialblade Rankings
● Photos that show action
● Coordinated campaign
between Paid and Owned
media on Instagram
● Linkin.bio
21. Anti Advertising Strategy
Want consumers to become activists Let their actions speak
Too late to start heavy advertising Encourage smart shopping
22. Recommendations - YouTube
Become a part of the community
More films/short story videos
Understand what kind of videos work on
YouTube
Partnerships with other channels
23. Recommendations - Podcast
Podcasts have been big, but will get bigger
Listeners can multitask
Less work than video content
Tone, Detail, Depth
Expand Digital Audience
Human Interaction
Digitally