GORE-TEX brand reveals real-life athlete stories to show why its products are ‘Tested For Life’

W. L. Gore and Associates (Gore) revolutionised the outerwear industry when it invented waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX fabrics more than 40 years ago. Today, it remains a leading innovator of performance apparel, and it’s now enlisting athletes, influencers and brand ambassadors for the latest incarnation of its Tested For Life series.

A mix of body-camera and crewed footage documents the adventures and excursions of mountaineers Tamara Lunger, Robert Jasper and Hirotaka Takeuchi, freerider Greg Hill and world class runner Daniel Jung, while the city photographer Jennifer Bin – famed for her images of skyscrapers and rooftops – appears to put performance apparel to the test in two urban and lifestyle stories.

Throughout each story, viewers follow the athletes through their difficult and sometimes life-threatening pursuits, to show how all GORE-TEX products are designed and engineered to withstand whatever life throws our way. These unique, personal stories are interspersed with behind-the-scenes footage of the brand’s rigorous testing processes, to affirm why and how it refines its various GORE-TEX product technologies.

The experience continues GORE-TEX’s Tested For Life ‘Tryout’ activation, which began in 2018 and invites regional athletes and influencers to share their own tests of the GORE-TEX Guaranteed to Keep You Dry and the new GORE-TEX INFINIUM products. Tested For Life also invites audiences to ‘Tryout’ their favourite GORE-TEX products with their own lives, with the best video submissions then published across the GORE-TEX brand’s own social channels worldwide.

Gore Fabrics Division global brand leader Achim Ewers zum Rode said: “Tested For Life highlights the importance of the testing that we do across all GORE-TEX products, and how this testing enhances the lives of real people. Just as life tests each of us, we test all GORE-TEX brand products to the limits. This season, Tested For Life shows to all wearers that their GORE-TEX INFINIUM and Guaranteed to Keep You Dry clothing is tested from the top of the mountain to the city in even the most challenging weather situations.”

The global online platform provides additional information on GORE-TEX products, and how they test the limits in the real world, highlighting stories that demonstrate the determination of individuals to overcome daily obstacles and barriers. Much like the way people face challenges their lives, GORE-TEX puts its products through rigorous tests, designed to stress its technologies and products to the breaking point.

Tested For Life is conceived by creative agency AKQA, in partnership with media agency Gravity, part of the Dentsu Aegis Network alongside the physical retail and e-commerce consultancy Geometry. The experience seeks to inspire the next generation of adventurers throughout their multi-faceted lives, to empower influencers and consumers alike. The global online platform has also been redesigned by AKQA for the Tested For Life fall-winter 2019 launch. 

AKQA group account director Maria del Mar Blanco Carranza said: “This season we had the opportunity to push boundaries, and to be more daring with our imagination. It was a huge endeavour to envision this Tested For Life experience without foresight into what kind of content the athletes would be able to deliver and to produce a worldwide experience that is relevant to the GORE-TEX main audiences but also to their trademark licencees. This was a fantastic collaboration with our clients.” 

Will Cyphers global account director at Gravity said “A core element of this campaign is passion. Not only the athletes’ passion for their sport but also GORE-TEX’s passion for creating the very best products. “The ability to connect our audience’s passions with the integrity of GORE-TEX products is the main driver of our media strategy.” 

Gore revolutionised the outerwear industry with waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX fabric more than 40 years ago and remains a leading innovator of performance apparel. Gore fabrics products provide comfort and protection in challenging environments and in everyday life, enabling wearers to safely and confidently achieve and experience more.

From hiking in downpours to defense operations and fighting fires, Gore’s deep understanding of consumer and industry needs drives development of products with meaningful performance advantages.

Source: AKQA

  Advertising, AKQA, Campaign, Dentsu Aegis Network, GORE-TEX, Gravity, Marketing, Outerwear, Tested For Life, W. L. Gore and Associates