When Patagonia Told Customers Not to Buy

The Business Story: Patagonia’s Bold Move

In 2011, Patagonia ran a full-page ad in The New York Times with a picture of one of their bestselling jackets. The headline read:

“Don’t Buy This Jacket.”

The ad dropped on Black Friday, which was the biggest shopping day of the year.

Most companies were shouting about discounts, promotions, and doorbusters. Patagonia was doing the opposite. They told customers not to buy unless they truly needed the product. The point? To spotlight the environmental cost of overconsumption and reinforce their mission of sustainability.

Here’s the twist: the ad didn’t hurt sales. Patagonia’s revenue grew by nearly 30% the following year.

Why? Because they didn’t just sell jackets. They sold values. Customers didn’t see Patagonia as a retailer and they saw them as a movement.

The Tip: The Power of POV and Values

This is what I call Values-Driven Content.

Most people create content to please everyone. Safe, agreeable, middle-of-the-road. But safe rarely inspires trust, and it never creates loyalty.

Magnetic brands (and magnetic leaders) take a strong point of view. They’re willing to say:

• Here’s what we believe.

• Here’s what we don’t believe.

• If you align with this, come closer. If not, that’s okay too.

This doesn’t mean you have to be polarizing for the sake of it. It means you let your values shape your voice.

Because when you speak from conviction, you create clarity. And clarity is what attracts the right audience.

Likes and shares might dip. But the people who resonate will lean in closer. They’ll DM you. They’ll buy. They’ll follow you not because you’re popular, but because you’re trustworthy.

The Personal Story: My Own Stand

I remember writing a post that didn’t exactly scream “algorithm-friendly.”

It wasn’t the kind of post engineered for maximum reach.

No hooks designed for virality. No trendy hot takes. It was me drawing a line in the sand about how I see content: that personal branding isn’t about being famous online, but it’s about building systems that drive conversations, opportunities, and trust.

It didn’t get as many likes as my usual posts. But the DMs I got from it? Game-changing.

A founder messaged me: “I’ve been trying to figure out why my content isn’t leading to business. What you said finally clicked.” 

That conversation turned into a client.

That’s when I realized: reach is nice, but resonance pays the bills.

Bringing It Home

When Patagonia said “Don’t buy this jacket,” they weren’t worried about losing the wrong customer. They were focused on rallying the right ones.

The same is true in your content. If you want more than likes, if you want conversations, trust, and clients…you can’t be afraid to stand for something.

So ask yourself:

👉 What’s the message you’re afraid to say because it might cost you likes?

That might be the very message that earns you trust.

If you’re ready to create content that doesn’t just chase trends but actually attracts the right people, let’s talk.

Through my Creative Catalyst Method, I help founders and executives craft content with clarity, conviction, and consistency so their posts drive conversations, not crickets.

Reply with “Stand” and I’ll share how we can build your system.