On March 17, Discovery Expedition, the high-end self-driving equipment brand under Unico Outdoor Products Co., Ltd., and Off-Road E-Community, China’s authoritative automotive information and community website, officially formed a strategic partnership. The two parties will engage in in-depth collaboration in areas such as jointly organizing professional domestic off-road races, deepening the operation of self-driving clubs, developing co-branded product series, and enhancing member interaction. This powerhouse alliance aims to jointly advance the development of outdoor and sports industries in China.
In 2014, the State Council issued the "Several Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Sports Industry and Promoting Sports Consumption," which called for fostering a social atmosphere that values, supports, and participates in sports, and elevated nationwide fitness to a national strategy. During the recently concluded 2015 National Two Sessions, topics related to competitive sports also garnered significant attention. The strategic collaboration between Discovery Expedition and Off-Road E-Community will leverage their respective strengths in their fields. With the parallel growth of nationwide fitness and competitive sports, they aim to respond to the national call, seize the momentum, and boldly move forward amid the surging wave of mass sports participation, allowing more users to experience the boundless allure of competitive sports.
The main elements of the strategic cooperation agreement between Discovery Expedition and Off-Road E-Community are as follows: 1. Jointly organizing professional domestic off-road races. The two parties will collaborate extensively on prestigious domestic off-road events such as the China Around Ta (International) Rally and the Alashan Heroes Meeting. 2. Deepening the operation of self-driving clubs. By leveraging Unico’s user resources and Off-Road E-Community’s expertise in managing self-driving clubs, they will jointly establish and operate self-driving clubs. 3. Developing co-branded product series. They will co-develop a joint product line between Discovery Expedition and Off-Road E-Community, which will be sold through all channels including Unico’s offline physical stores and online flagship stores. Off-Road E-Community will utilize its media outreach advantages in the self-driving sector and its nationwide membership base for promotion and sales. 4. Enhancing member interaction. Based on a user-centric approach, the two parties will integrate their membership systems, organize self-driving activities for members, and provide services such as professional self-driving routes and high-quality self-driving equipment. They aim to engage communities through unique culture, specialized products, and creative services.
The 2015 China Around Ta (International) Rally marks the debut of Discovery Expedition and Off-Road E-Community’s powerful collaboration. The China Around Ta (International) Rally is Asia’s premier and China’s largest authoritative international off-road racing event where cars, motorcycles, and trucks compete on the same stage. On March 18, the press conference and launch ceremony for the 2015 China Around Ta (International) Rally, themed “Silk Road Heroes’ Dream, Around Ta Braves’ Journey,” was held in Beijing. Aligned with the implementation of the 2015 “Belt and Road” initiative, this year’s rally is set to kick off in June in Xinjiang, a key region along the Silk Road Economic Belt. As a strategic partner of the event, Discovery Expedition will play a pivotal role in ensuring its success, showcasing the spirit of self-driving sports.
(Discovery Expedition General Manager Peng Xin (left) attending the 2015 China Around Ta (International) Rally launch ceremony)
The Discovery Expedition brand originates from the Discovery Channel and embodies a pure spirit of exploration, adventure, and a quest for the unknown, closely tied to the outdoor lifestyle. As the only outdoor brand under Discovery, Discovery Expedition aims to carry on the spirit of exploration championed by the Discovery Channel. It provides high-end outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories, and other functional gear for individuals who embrace high-quality lifestyles such as self-driving, exploring, and camping. Its product lines cover three major series: wilderness survival, self-driving, and camping. In 2013, Discovery Expedition officially entered the Chinese market, embarking on an extraordinary journey of discovery with Chinese consumers to explore “the wonders of nature, the mysteries of human culture, and the resilience of life.” It has designed and launched high-quality functional self-driving equipment tailored to the needs of passionate self-driving enthusiasts.
Even before teaming up with Off-Road E-Community, Discovery Expedition demonstrated remarkable resource integration capabilities: In 2014, it signed global adventurer and survival expert Bear Grylls, the star of the Discovery Channel’s iconic show “Man vs. Wild,” as its brand ambassador. Together, they launched the “Extraordinary Journey: Through Mysterious Lands” — a self-driving route across China’s four major no-man’s-lands: Lop Nur, Arjin Mountain, Hoh Xil, and Qiangtang. The Lop Nur leg has been successfully completed, and the second destination has already commenced. Additionally, Discovery Expedition joined forces with renowned automaker Volvo to produce the large-scale Tibetan exploration documentary “Tibet: Beyond the Clouds,” aiming to awaken the innate spirit of exploration among Chinese consumers and transform life into an irreplaceable extraordinary journey.
(Discovery Expedition signs Bear Grylls as brand ambassador)
The collaboration between Discovery Expedition and Off-Road E-Community will fully harness their respective strengths. Building on integrated resources, they will jointly propel the development of self-driving sports in China.