This study focuses on Patagonia, a brand renowned for its commitment to sustainability, and investigates how it implements de-influencing, accessibility, and anti-greenwashing strategies to enhance brand authenticity and sustainability. The thesis also examines how Patagonia's branding promotes sustainable fashion practices through media and communication strategies. Two primary research questions guiding this study are: how does Patagonia implement de-influencing, accessibility, and anti-greenwashing in its branding strategy, and what improvements can Patagonia make in these strategies to enhance its branding and communications?

A mixed-methods approach is employed, integrating discourse and visual analysis. Primary data sources include Patagonia’s official website, Instagram posts, and marketing campaigns. The discourse analysis examines the language, media, communications, and narratives used to promote sustainability, while the visual analysis explores the imagery and design elements that communicate Patagonia’s values. The theoretical framework is grounded in concepts of brand identity, ethical branding, visual rhetoric, and semiotics, which guides the analyses (Keller, 1993; Balmer & Greyser, 2006). Ethical considerations were based on the research adhering to standards by using publicly available data and respecting intellectual property (Rose, 2016). The study also consideres potential biases, particularly the positive portrayal of Patagonia, and addressed these through critical analysis (Banks, 2018).

Findings reveal that Patagonia’s de-influencing strategy is prominently featured in its campaigns, promoting mindful consumption (Sheth et al., 2011; Lim et al., 2022). Accessibility efforts are evident in inclusive product designs and accessible digital content, although some digital elements still need improvement (University of Cambridge; W3C, 2023). Patagonia's anti-greenwashing stance is highlighted through transparent media communication about environmental impacts, or ecology initiatives (Delmas & Burbano, 2011). However, challenges remain in fully aligning marketing practices with sustainability goals. This structured analysis aims to contribute to the broader discussions on ethical branding and sustainability from the media and communication perspective within the fashion industry, employing Patagonia as a case study.