On July 6, 2016, ISPO Shanghai was grandly held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. As the summer edition of ISPO — the world’s largest sports exhibition — in China, it upheld the core concept of further deepening "Outdoor+" and presented outdoor sports enthusiasts with a true "cross-industry integration" as well as the shared vision of building a "sports lifestyle." One highlight of the cross-industry collaboration came during a press conference at 2 PM on July 7, where outdoor sports leader GORE-TEX® brand announced a deep partnership with TMALL and officially established the "GORE-TEX® | TMALL Outdoor Alliance." Through this collaboration, leveraging TMALL's significant influence in China’s e-commerce market, they aim to build a professional and experiential GORE-TEX® outdoor alliance. The announcement garnered widespread attention, with 50 media outlets, numerous key figures from the outdoor industry, and hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts jointly witnessing this historic moment.
A Powerhouse Collaboration to Build China’s Most Professional Outdoor Channel on an E-Commerce Platform
With the rapid development of internet e-commerce, the outdoor retail landscape in the Chinese market continues to evolve. The GORE-TEX® brand has always closely monitored channel developments and emphasized supporting the healthy growth of e-commerce through collaboration with partners. During the 2015 Double Eleven shopping festival, the GORE-TEX® brand partnered with nine international brands to offer special deals on TMALL’s outdoor channel. In 2016, the GORE-TEX® brand collaborated with six outdoor brands to launch the GORE-TEX® SURROUND™ technology products on TMALL. Through past collaborations, the brand and platform have built a high level of trust and a close working relationship. Given the strong alignment between the strategic directions of the GORE-TEX® brand and TMALL Sports & Outdoor, both parties decided to join forces to create the most professional outdoor channel on China’s e-commerce platforms. Relying on this platform, they aim to provide Chinese outdoor enthusiasts with diverse forms of outdoor education and experience opportunities, thereby enhancing the overall quality of the outdoor community in China. The GORE-TEX® brand will also integrate its extensive outdoor industry resources to work with TMALL in promoting new marketing models for outdoor experiences and service-based products, creating fresh consumer demands for TMALL’s outdoor shoppers.
Launching the Outdoor "3D" Era
At the press conference, Ms. Hou Yunhui, Greater China Marketing Director of GORE-TEX® Textiles, shared insights on the brand’s development in the Chinese outdoor market and highlighted the strengths of both alliance partners. Reflecting on the collaboration history with TMALL, she outlined the ultimate goal of the outdoor alliance — to deliver a one-stop outdoor lifestyle experience for consumers. When the words "Openness, Professionalism, and Integration" appeared on the screen, the event entered its pivotal moment. The characteristics and development plans of the alliance platform were revealed through the interpretation of these three keywords. Platform openness reduces the emphasis on single-brand labels, with a multi-brand matrix driving consumption upgrades and blending online-offline experiences to enhance consumer satisfaction. Platform professionalism offers expert outdoor knowledge content, authoritative figures in the field, and deeper collaboration with outdoor industry brands. Platform integration will bring together multiple partners along the supply chain to enrich the ecosystem, with virtual service offerings creating a comprehensive outdoor experience and seamless connections delivering a one-stop outdoor journey. Ms. Hou also shared new directions for GORE-TEX® brand marketing: “In addition, we will increase interactions with celebrities, using their influence to draw broader public attention and participation in outdoor activities. Moreover, we will focus on strengthening our presence among elite audiences. In March this year, we officially established the GORE-TEX® Business Schools Outdoor Activity Alliance in collaboration with seven of China’s top business schools, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, and CEIBS. Together with the outdoor clubs of these institutions, we will organize a series of events to promote positive outdoor values and a vibrant outdoor lifestyle among elite groups. Resources from numerous projects will be integrated onto the outdoor alliance website to serve end consumers.”
The press conference reached its climax during the final launch ceremony. Ms. Hou Yunhui, Greater China Marketing Director of GORE-TEX®, and Mr. Di An, Head of TMALL Sports & Outdoor, turned the ceremonial key, causing a grand outdoor gift package on stage to slowly rise. The "GORE-TEX® | TMALL Outdoor Alliance" was officially launched, symbolizing a meaningful gift jointly offered by both parties to Chinese outdoor sports enthusiasts through their collaborative efforts.
Building a One-Stop Outdoor Lifestyle Experience Platform
This "powerful collaboration" opens up new areas and models for the development of the outdoor industry, bringing outdoor sports closer to a wider range of enthusiasts. During ISPO, Gore made its first attempt at integrating outdoor resources by launching a series of activities on the TMALL online platform: GORE-TEX® led a number of premium outdoor brands to offer a more professional and diverse selection of outdoor products, providing consumers with a new experience in both products and services. Collaborations with outdoor training institutions and activity organizers offered participants chances to engage in outdoor experiences and training. Industry leaders and seasoned experts were invited to share outdoor experiences and deliver educational talks on outdoor knowledge. Examples include the "Gore Outdoor Camp Experience" and "Gore Outdoor Enrichment Classes," which provided hands-on opportunities for those with outdoor aspirations. The outdoor alliance also serves as a primary traffic destination for GORE-TEX® brand marketing. Advertisements across various formats — from print and online to outdoor and video — all lead to a common landing page. Once this traffic is directed to the platform, it stimulates consumer interest in participating in outdoor activities, allows them to experience the unique qualities of outdoor gear, and effectively boosts sales conversion rates. TMALL has also provided strong support for the launch of the alliance, offering numerous premium resources throughout the process. These activities are seamlessly integrated on the outdoor alliance platform, painting a vision of the GORE-TEX® | TMALL Outdoor Alliance delivering a comprehensive one-stop outdoor lifestyle experience.
Through this collaboration with TMALL, the GORE-TEX® brand is actively building the most professional outdoor channel on China’s e-commerce platforms. With the brand’s expertise and industry influence, combined with the vast reach of TMALL, it is bound to spark a wave of enthusiasm for outdoor activities in the e-commerce space. We look forward to the GORE-TEX® | TMALL Outdoor Alliance bringing even more exciting experiences to consumers in the future.