Introductory Blog

Within the realm of marketing, there are many keys to ensuring a company succeeds. The company must understand the rules of engagement with its customers. The rules of engagement provide a guideline for businesses to thrive with customer interaction. One rule of engagement that I would like to cover is the idea of transparency. Transparency is essential for a business to have because it keeps the customer in the loop of everything that is going on within. There are no hidden secrets about the manufacturing process or the ethics of the company because all of it is revealed willingly to the consumer. Companies should try to establish trust with the consumer so that the consumer can feel comfortable with purchasing their products. Relationship building is huge in the business sector and it all begins with transparency and honesty.

Patagonia's goal is always to remain transparent

            One example that I found of a company that uses the idea of transparency to their advantage is Patagonia. Patagonia is a company that strives to make sure that the customer is aware of their entire supply chain. They abide by using recycled materials in their apparel and prove it to the customer. If someone were to go to Patagonia’s website and click on a jacket, the supply chain for that specific jacket can be seen. This is done so the consumer can be able to track where the jacket was being produced and where the materials that are being used to make it, came from. They call this the Footprint Chronicles. The presentation on the website, in the form of slides, videos, and pictures all invite the consumer to check out how their supply chain really works. Patagonia chooses to follow with this type of transparency because it reflects on their own core values. They want to make the best product that they possibly can while inflicting no harm to the environment at the same time. They also try to contribute to environmental efforts by donating to different environmental groups. They not only take to their website to talk about their transparency but also bring it to their social media. Patagonia publicly posts on their twitter about their conservative actions. They are not the type of company, however, to just post on Twitter and forget about it. They reply to people on social media all the time in order to remain as personable and transparent as possible. Patagonia wants the consumer to know everything about their own supply chain because it is something they are proud of. They want the customer to trust them and share the same values as them. Being open and transparent allows customers to feel more comfortable buying their products and remaining loyal to the brand farther down the road. Therefore, relying on transparency to the consumer has proved to be successful for Patagonia.