"It's a pity that I can't be there in person this time to join in the celebration, but upholding the spirit of limitless experience, we are now in the Patagonia mountains of Chile in South America, attempting to climb an unclimbed big wall." On January 29, 2015, at the "Dream Partners – The GORE-TEX® Brand and His Friends" sharing event during ISPO BEIJING 2015, the 11th Asia Outdoor Trade Show & Fashion Expo, a letter was received from David and Yi Siting, the professional mountaineering couple who were the champions of the professional mountaineering category in the 7th "Limitless Experience – Gore-Tex® Outdoor Dreams Come True" activity. At this reunion of old friends among outdoor dream partners, in addition to outdoor enthusiasts who participated via email, guests representing partner brands, retail channels, and outdoor opinion leaders gathered together, including Qi Weiqiang, Section Chief of Marketing Planning Department at Subaru (China) Co., Ltd.; Zhang Heng, General Manager of Beijing Sanfo Outdoor Co., Ltd.; and Sun Bin, Principal of Peak Outdoor Sports School, to share their experiences as dream partners and reminisce about their collaborations with the GORE-TEX® brand. Zhuang Songming, General Manager of the Apparel Division of Gore’s Textile Business in China, and Zhang Jingwei, Marketing Director of Gore’s Textile Business in China, represented Gore at the event.
The reunion of the "Dream Partners" attracted not only the presence of numerous guests but also drew a crowd of onlookers from the ISPO audience.
In September 2013, American traditional climber David Anderson and his wife Yi Siting participated in the 7th Outdoor Dreams Come True activity, successfully climbing the unclimbed peak – Dayangtianwo Peak – and realizing their dream. As active participants in the outdoor dreams initiative, the dreams of David and Yi Siting, along with those of many other outdoor enthusiasts, were made possible thanks to the GORE-TEX® brand and its friends. On the day of the event, although the two were not present in person, as representatives of the outdoor dreams activity participants, they sparked memories and shared stories among the "partners" present about working hand-in-hand with the GORE-TEX® brand to advance the outdoor dreams of Chinese consumers.
Subaru has been collaborating with the GORE-TEX® brand since 2011, providing transportation vehicles for participants in brand events to help outdoor enthusiasts reach their destinations. For this reason, Subaru was also invited to the event as a "Dream Partner." At the event, Qi Weiqiang, Section Chief of Marketing Planning Department at Subaru (China) Co., Ltd., showcased a specially produced 2015 Subaru photo album titled "Journey" to the "partners" present. The album opens with an introduction to activities in collaboration with the GORE-TEX® brand, highlighting the close partnership between the two and symbolizing how both brands work together to help outdoor enthusiasts go further.
As a cross-industry partner, Qi Weiqiang, Section Chief of Marketing Planning Department at Subaru (China) Co., Ltd., shared the journey of collaboration with the GORE-TEX® brand.
Sun Bin, Principal of Peak Outdoor Sports School, has in recent years joined hands with the GORE-TEX® brand to promote and popularize outdoor skills and safety concepts through multiple initiatives such as "Wilderness First Aid and Risk Management" professional training and the Outdoor Pioneers Camp. "In the past, every time I conquered a snow mountain, I was incredibly excited. Now, being able to drive the better and faster development of this sport and to allow more people to benefit from our platform is in itself a shift from giving someone a fish to teaching them how to fish. It makes me proud of myself," said Sun Bin.
Speaking about years of collaboration and future development, Zhang Heng, General Manager of Beijing Sanfo Outdoor Co., Ltd., believes: "Over the past decade, Sanfo Outdoor and the GORE-TEX® brand have grown together. Through our joint efforts, in addition to providing professional GORE-TEX® fabric equipment to outdoor enthusiasts through Sanfo’s channels, Sanfo has also promoted and popularized outdoor sports through its sales channels in collaboration with the GORE-TEX® brand, changing Chinese consumers’ definition of outdoor sports. He also expressed that in the future, he is willing to continue promoting the love for the outdoors together with the GORE-TEX® brand."
At the end of the event, Zhang Jingwei, Marketing Director of Gore’s Textile Business in China, on behalf of the GORE-TEX® brand, expressed gratitude to the "Dream Partners" and joined everyone in writing postcards with messages for the future. Zhuang Songming, General Manager of the Apparel Division of Gore’s Textile Business in China, collected the postcards filled with visions for the future written by the "Dream Partners" and also presented a "mysterious gift" symbolizing the sweetness of the collaboration.
Zhang Jingwei, Marketing Director of Gore’s Textile Business in China, on behalf of the GORE-TEX® brand, expressed gratitude to the "Dream Partners."
Towards the end of the event, 20 "Dream Partners" raised their glasses together and shared a specially made "GORE-TEX® Brand" cake.
In addition to the "Dream Partners – The GORE-TEX® Brand and His Friends" sharing event, in January 2015, under the theme of "Experience the Difference – Ultimate Experience, Feel the Extraordinary," a series of GORE-TEX® brand activities were held at ISPO BEIJING 2015, the 11th Asia Outdoor Trade Show & Fashion Expo. The latest gear from numerous Gore-Tex® brand partners including adidas, Arc'teryx®, BLACK YAK® (BLYAK), KOLON SPORT, LA SPORTIVA, LOWA, MAMMUT (Mammoth), NORTHLAND (Norrona), OZARK (Osarka), Salomon, and The North Face® were displayed. In addition, the "Ultimate Craftsmanship, Achieving Excellence – GORE-TEX® Brand Technology Innovation Sharing Session" and the launch ceremony of the "GORE-TEX® SURROUND® Technology Release and Call for 100 Outdoor Influencers" were also held concurrently.