Patagonia has long embraced content and is now free to express itself in ways other brands, tied to the limitations of advertising, cannot.
By definition, content is interesting and attractive because it tells a compelling story about people’s interests, passions, and beliefs – rather than what a marketer seeks to force on others.
Sure, there are ads that are interesting and they could be called content. But they are few. If you seek to make "content" within the construct of advertising then you are in the hit business. And hits are unpredictable, expensive and very hard to replicate.
COMPELLING STORYTELLING...
Content, on the other hand, is not limited by time, format, reasons to believe, unique value propositions and the constrictive-by-design world of agency briefs. It is free to appeal to people based on their values, passions, and beliefs, rather than through a brand's commercial objectives. Made well, content is authentic.
...ACHIEVES MORE THAN SELLING
At its absolute best, advertising is manipulative. And "branded content" is just advertising in disguise. The premise of advertising is contrary to the attitudes and behaviors of the largest generations of consumers – not to mention their viewing, reading and listening habits.
PATAGONIA IS LIKE ROLLING STONE
But Patagonia isn’t restricted by these conventional limitations because they act as a great publisher. And like a great publisher, they take a stand and they talk about it.
Since its inception, Rolling Stone has taken a stand for the expression of liberal ideas through the culture of music. Their stories adhere to this general theme and bias. Patagonia has always taken a stand for conservation and the outdoor lifestyle. Like Rolling Stone (or any other good publisher), Patagonia publishes content about matters which are consistent with their purpose – protecting parks, wildlife, and our environment – and which resonate deeply with their audiences. Patagonia’s content is aligned with its mission which is aligned with its audiences, who can legitimately be called believers.
PATAGONIA IS NOT IN THE HIT BUSINESS
Like a great publisher, they employ dozens of content creators, all of whom are professional writers, filmmakers, photographers or podcasters with expertise and credibility in their fields of passion. Patagonia creators publish dozens of articles about their passion and accomplish what great publishers seek: They attract engaged, like-minded audiences for a reasonable cost.
EDITORS RATHER THAN BRAND MANAGERS
Marketers at Patagonia act like editors, rather than brand managers. They recruit top ‘reporters’, who are aligned with their mission, assign them to cover topics which inspire action and give them the freedom to tell these stories from their point-of-view.
PUBLISHERS USE THEIR BULLY PULPIT
So does Patagonia. After Trump was elected, Rose Marcario, Patagonia's CEO, wrote a series of critical articles published on Patagonia. Much of the subsequent stories published by Patagonia and its creators followed suit – telling stories about our environment, our wildlife and the steps we all must take to protect it.
REVENUE IS UP 4X
This approach has created massive commercial success for Patagonia - their revenue has quadrupled since its story-driven CEO took the reins.
Certainly, content alone isn’t the cause of Patagonia’s success. Their leadership, great products, commitment to innovation and design thinking play a critical role.
But, unchained from the limitations of the advertising-industrial complex, Patagonia is free to tell stories, influence people, grow their brand, sell more great products and reshape the world closer to their ideal.
Photo by Brandon Sharpe
For regional banks, advertising is fraught with some of the most stringent rules in marketing. Laws such as the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) require specific disclosures in promotions for loans, credit cards, and other financial products. Adding to these legal mandates, platforms like Facebook and Google impose “Special Ad Categories” for financial services, restricting the use of advanced targeting tools like lookalike audiences or detailed demographic segmentation.
The impact is clear: compliance-heavy messaging disrupts engagement, creativity is stifled, and marketing costs rise as cost-per-click (CPC) and cost-per-lead (CPL) escalate. For many regional banks, this combination of constraints makes reaching their ideal customers a frustrating and costly endeavor.
Props offers a transformative way for regional banks to overcome these challenges through a unique combination of creator-driven storytelling, strategic paid media promotion, and robust compliance solutions. Instead of promoting financial products directly, Props shifts the focus to authentic, lifestyle-oriented stories that resonate with audiences and inspire them.
These stories are published on the bank’s website (or a special landing page) and, critically, promoted through the creators’ social media handles. Publishing lifestyle content through creators’ handles bypasses the restrictions of “Special Ad Categories,” drives more engagement and click-throughs, and unlocks advanced targeting options. This allows banks to connect with high-intent audiences more effectively while reducing costs.
For example, rather than running a traditional ad for a home equity line of credit (HELOC), Props might collaborate with a creator to share a story about how homeowners can fund renovations—building trust and engagement without triggering compliance-heavy disclosures.
One of Props’ greatest advantages lies in its ability to sidestep disclosure requirements by avoiding direct product claims. Instead of advertisements laden with legal disclaimers, Props content centers on engaging narratives that educate and inspire. These stories provide value to audiences without overwhelming them, creating a cleaner, more effective path to engagement.
A creator might share how they used home equity to remodel their kitchen, illustrating a real-life application of financial tools while staying free from the burdens of compliance-heavy messaging. This approach not only eliminates the need for complex disclosures but also keeps content relatable and audience-focused, fostering trust and credibility.
Audiences are more likely to trust people over brands, and Props ensures this trust by selecting creators based on their expertise and storytelling ability, not their follower count. Creators are chosen for their ability to craft genuine, relatable narratives that resonate with specific audience segments.
Whether it’s a business owner sharing entrepreneurial insights or a parent discussing family finances, Props focuses on the quality of the story rather than the creator’s popularity. By publishing these stories directly on the client’s website, Props ensures that the bank owns the engagement and benefits from first-party data collection. Paid media promotion guarantees that these stories reach the most relevant audience with precision and scale.
Brand safety is paramount for financial institutions. Strict regulatory standards and a heightened need to maintain trust often prevent banks from collaborating with creators. Recognizing these challenges, Props developed Ollie—a proprietary AI-driven brand safety tool that ensures campaigns remain compliant, transparent, and aligned with institutional values.
Ollie reviews years of creator content history, continuously monitors posts in real-time, and flags potential risks using advanced AI. Its capabilities include detecting if a financial offer is being made or if financial advice is being given—two critical triggers that can complicate compliance for creators in regulated industries. By categorizing flagged content as low, medium, or high risk, Ollie empowers banks to avoid pitfalls while enabling creators to craft compelling yet compliant narratives.
This innovative approach ensures banks can confidently embrace creator storytelling, knowing that campaigns will uphold their values and meet regulatory standards. By bridging the gap between brand safety and creative freedom, Ollie empowers financial advertisers to connect authentically with audiences while navigating one of the most regulated industries in marketing.
Props has consistently delivered impressive results for its financial clients across consumer banking, mortgage lending, credit cards, secure cards, life insurance, auto insurance, and wealth management. Props takes responsibility for delivering actual, measurable business outcomes—a key reason for its rapid growth.
For regional bank CMOs, Props offers an unparalleled opportunity to navigate advertising regulations while driving measurable results. By avoiding restrictive ad categories and using creator-led storytelling, Props enables access to advanced audience targeting tools that improve reach and engagement.
Its compliance-friendly strategies reduce advertising costs and create cleaner, more effective campaigns. With Ollie’s oversight, banks can run creative campaigns confidently, knowing that regulatory standards are being met. Props’ focus on authenticity builds trust with audiences, while its full-funnel strategy ensures seamless progression from awareness to conversion.
By leveraging paid media through creators’ handles, Props ensures that each story achieves both the reach and relevance needed to deliver measurable results. For CMOs seeking to transform their marketing strategy and connect authentically with their audience, Props offers a proven path to sustainable growth and success.
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