2009 PRO Awards: The Gore-Tex Know What’s Inside Tour

Agency: Marketing Werks
Client: W.L. Gore and Associates

W.L. Gore felt the best way to get consumers to request and buy their products was to let them experience the difference. The company created the What’s Inside Tour so people could see and feel for themselves how GORE-TEX and WINDSTOPPER products hold up in all kinds of weather. 

An Extreme Weather Chamber six feet wide by 10 feet high was built to produce rainfall up to 22 inches per hour and whipping winds at 32 miles per hour. Sounds of thunder and strobes of lightning simulated the look and sound of a severe storm. Consumers suited up in appropriate protective gear, stepped inside the chamber and dialed up their choice of weather. The tour was featured at events popular with outdoor enthusiasts.

Prior to each event, local media, including meteorologists and sports reporters, were mailed cards with an audio chip inside that made the sound of a thunderstorm. The call to action invited the person to come and dial up their own weather. The press kit also included a sample of material which the media nicknamed “the worm” for its long thin shape. Being able to touch and feel the product helped with buzz. For additional publicity, the tour partnered with Soles4Souls, a national non-profit group that repurposes and distributes gently used footwear.

The vehicle traveled nearly 30,000 miles and was live for 121 days at 30 events. Roughly 2,400 people stepped into the extreme weather chamber. Approximately 736,000 media impressions were made, including some meteorologists who gave their entire day’s report from the weather chamber. The press announcement for the Souls4Souls tie-in generated an additional 17 million impressions. In addition, a total of 689 pairs of shoes were donated as a result of this campaign.