With this week being Black Friday, we’re surrounded once again by bold claims, loud offers and the constant pressure to buy more. It’s one of the loudest moments of the year, where urgency often overshadows discernment.
But in 2011, Patagonia did something no one expected.
That year, on Black Friday, they ran a full-page ad in the New York Times featuring a photo of one of their best-selling jackets. Underneath it, in bold type, were the words:
DON’T BUY THIS JACKET
Readers were stunned. Why would a company discourage people from buying a product on the biggest shopping day of the year? Because they were committed to something deeper than sales.
The ad explained the environmental cost of producing a single jacket — the water used, the energy required and the long-term impact on the planet. It encouraged customers to pause and ask if they truly needed another one. If they didn’t, Patagonia told them not to purchase anything at all.
It was the opposite of everything brands do on Black Friday. And yet, the following year, Patagonia’s sales grew by nearly 30 percent. Not because the ad was clever, but because the company was honest.
People respond to honesty. They value clarity, consistency and humility, especially when the message goes against the grain. Scripture reminds us that honesty and integrity are essential to our mission, and they remain two of the most powerful witnesses we have to demonstrate commitment to Christ.
At Radiant, we use our Radiant ONE model to help ministries communicate with that same clarity — not trying to rise above the noise through volume, but through truth. You don’t have to compete with the noise; you simply need to remain faithful to what God has called you to do and communicate it with honesty, clarity and purpose.
This Black Friday, amidst all the noise, Patagonia’s message still stands out, not because it demanded attention, but because integrity always does.
