The Ford Bronco is back after a 25-year hiatus and wants to reclaim its place in American culture - this time as a car for outdoor enthusiasts.

The Bronco Sport is being marketed as the ultimate outdoor adventure vehicle, capable of going wherever you want to go, thanks to its “go on any terrain,” mode, which it calls G.O.A.T mode (yes they really are trying to self-emblazon themselves with this designation). 

But how do you position a gas-guzzling SUV as the car for people who love to make Mother Nature their playground? 

Apparently, it involves enlisting the help of well-known outdoor brands, most notably, REI, to co-opt the message that people who love the planet choose this car. The two brands partnered on a campaign following four cyclists through Arizona, as they drive, camp, and bike, along with their Ford Bronco. 

Maybe you’re thinking to yourself, so what? One little trip with four cyclists, is that really going to make that big of an impact on the environment? The answer is no, but this isn’t about the impact of a single trip. It’s about the impact a large brand can have in helping to normalize, if not celebrate, driving a gas-guzzling SUV, as part of an aspirational, outdoor enthusiast lifestyle. That’s not moving forward - it’s moving backward. And it’s especially notable given REI’s track record.

Really, REI? 

REI, the brand that boldly told us to ditch Black Friday to “Opt Outside,” outlines sustainability and inclusivity expectations for the brands it sells, fights the climate crisis, advocates for inclusion, and protects public lands, amongst other components of its robust stewardship platform - is now telling us we should aspire to a lifestyle of driving (and celebrating) a gas SUV? And to make this gaffe during earth month, of all times. According to the LA Times, REI’s Director of Sustainability, Matt Thurston, claims he didn’t know about it until it launched. Not the kind of publicity you want. REI presumably received some kind of compensation for this campaign, as their landing page and videos are clearly labeled “sponsored by Ford.” But was it worth it? 

It’s easy to recognize that Thurston, REI’s Sustainability Director, isn’t happy about this. It’s not only an affront to their stated goals toward protecting the environment, but an embarrassing disconnect internally at REI. What about the other nearly 15,000 employees who believe they’re part of an organization dedicated to championing the environment? REI has let its employees, customers, and other stakeholders down by enabling Ford to greenwash an SUV as environmentally responsible. And REI adds a lot of credibility to that message because of their extensive investment, involvement, and active campaigning for the environment.  

This is obviously exactly what Ford wanted:

“As we establish Bronco as a credible, outdoor lifestyle brand, we want to partner with other like-minded brands who share similar values/mission,” Ford spokesperson Debra Hotaling said in an email to the LA Times. “As an automotive manufacturer, we challenge ourselves to make the world a better place every day.”

Not sure I believe that Ford and REI are like-minded brands, but they were at least for a temporary lapse of judgment. 

REI is not the only brand caught up in this mess

Another interesting component to this snafu is that other brands are directly/indirectly involved as well, whether they know it or not. REI did a good job of ensuring there was representation from less-visible groups in the outdoor scene, by featuring Native Americans and activists. However, this also ropes in the brands they represent, such as Rapha, the cycling apparel brand and Specialized, the bicycle brand. Specialized states on their sustainability page,

“We believe the future of local transportation looks more like a bike than a car. Where transportation is the fastest-growing cause of greenhouse gas emissions, the bike is a powerful tool in the fight against climate change.”

So this doesn’t exactly align with Specialized’s values, either. As for Rapha, the brand is working to become a climate neutral company by 2025, among other commitments. It’s unfortunate that REI put these cyclists in a compromising position, because they seem to be genuinely invested in protecting the environment.

Additionally, if you visit the landing page for the Bronco Sport, it looks like they’re featuring popular cooler brand, Yeti. To be fair, Yeti doesn’t make any explicit sustainability claims on their website, and their origin story is about making a better cooler, not saving the planet or anything like that. (But they certainly don’t mind playing that role when it’s advantageous for them, making a press release about how they’re the “official sustainability partner” for USA Climbing).

The cherry on top: ambiguous claims supporting nonprofits 

Ford may have anticipated this and tried to pre-empt claims that they’re not walking the walk by launching the “Bronco Wild Fund.” Here, they’ve gotten even more brands to engage in this ruse, including the National Forest Foundation, Outward Bound, and Sons of Smokey. And get this - they want you, the customer, to donate to these organizations! I’m all for donating to worthy nonprofits, but is this another example of brands trying to tell us, the public, that we need to be the solution, when they’re affecting things negatively on a more macro level? Supposedly, Ford is going to donate to these organizations, too, but I can’t find any specificity as to their commitment, which I think is telling.

And perhaps more importantly, they’re claiming to care about preservation and protection of public lands. I’m all for more advocacy here, but what would be better is if Ford took bigger steps toward sustainability relating to their own operations and product offering.

Ford is the winner here, and everyone else loses

Make no mistake, Ford went about this with the intention to create a multidimensional world in which all these different brands contribute to the perception that people who are responsible stewards of the planet aspire to drive a gas SUV. And I suspect we will only see more of this, as brands who aren’t truly dedicated to sustainability, inclusivity, and other progressive values attempt to capitalize on consumer interest. 

All the more reason for brands who are legitimately invested in doing what’s right to engage with various authenticators - like becoming a B-Corp, climate-neutral certified, using the Higgs Index, etc., as unbiased 3rd party standards that consumers can rely on. 

Actions speak louder than words

Purpose-driven brands, especially the loudest ones advocating for change, need to ensure they follow through on their promises at all touch points, not just when they want to flaunt their commitment to doing good. Big brands can be incredibly influential in society and affect public opinion. With great power comes great responsibility. While I applaud many of REI’s efforts that have real impact, this one is a learning opportunity, and hopefully in the future, a chance to do better. Brands should use their values to guide them when making decisions about who to partner with.