Branding: The Integrated Shopper

Patagonia
The Patagonia catalog does a superb job of integrating authentic stories and "product-in-use" photography with more typical lay-down images. The lifestyle images and client testimonials provide an element of authenticity and credibility.

In evaluating the digest-sized Holiday Favorites 2009 catalog, I assume that Patagonia has gone to this format to save on mailing costs, like many retailers. The smaller page size would cause many brands to reduce or even eliminate full-page lifestyle images in favor of more selling space. But Patagonia is savvy enough to understand that its customers identify with these "real-world" scenarios and envision themselves in those environments. These inspiring images and stories are a way for Patagonia to tell its customers, "We understand you. We're just like you. We're the real deal." The same action-oriented outdoor photos greet shoppers at its website for a consistent message and seamless shopping experience.