Unveiled as part of its latest "Quality" campaign, Patagonia's documentary "The Shitthropocene" reveals a parodic anthropological vision of humanity's consumption habits.
Patagonia has always been accustomed to communicating in a way that stands out in the world of outdoor sports brands. In recent months, the company, founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, has denounced the "Vanishing Lines" film, the planned merger of two Austrian ski resorts on the Ötztal and Pitztal glaciers.
Today, it's our consumption habits in general that Patagonia is tackling in its latest campaign, "Quality". Unveiled on April 29 (see below), "The Shitthropocene" film is, as the brand explains, "a journey from the cellular origins of our lack of impulse control to the ways in which our central nervous systems have been hacked in the name of capitalism. It's also about how we might begin to save ourselves from ourselves."
This satirical look at the consumer society points the finger with humor (and honesty) at the problems caused by always wanting to buy more. "What was once an advantage (more! = better!) now contributes to the destruction of the planet," explains Patagonia. The film "The Shitthropocene" was directed by David Byars. He is the author of documentaries on subjects as varied as stateless populations in the Dominican Republic and the public land system in America. For Patagonia, he unveils a fake anthropological investigation into why everything is going the wrong way, and what we could do about it.
Beyond the film, the "Quality" campaign aims to highlight Patagonia's work to produce the best possible products in order to reduce the brand's impact on the planet. "If we don't make the highest quality products, we'll just be making junk that nobody needs. That's why we've never worried about trends. Instead, we make products that are multifunctional, repairable, timeless - because the longer they stay in play, the better for the planet."
Find timeless Patagonia products, designed for years, not seasons, at Private Sport Shop.
