GORE-TEX appoints Mediascale as media agency

The Mediaplus Group and its subsidiary Mediascale have been appointed to lead strategy, planning, and media buying across EMEA and the US. Their approach combines full-funnel data intelligence with an in-depth understanding of the brand, its audiences, and its product ecosystem.

New York / Cologne 31 July 2025 — For outdoor enthusiasts, GORE-TEX Products are synonymous with waterproof, windproof, and breathable apparel. High-tech textiles from the W.L. Gore & Associates brand are used around the world – and even beyond: during NASA’s first space shuttle mission, astronauts wore suits made with GORE-TEX Fibers. Mediaplus media activities might not reach quite that far (yet). But in partnership with its Cologne-based agency subsidiary Mediascale, Mediaplus is now taking on responsibility for the GORE-TEX Brand’s media account across EMEA and North America. In a multi-stage selection process – supported by auditor Flock Associates – the Cologne-based team beat out nine other contenders. The scope of work includes media strategy, planning, and buying.

“We were looking for an international partner who not only brings digital excellence to the table, but also truly understands the apparel segment and our global B2B2C approach with all its unique challenges,” says Achim Ewers zum Rode, Global CMO of the GORE-TEX Brand. Michael S. Adams, Regional Marketing Leader Americas for the GORE-TEX Brand, adds: “The U.S. market presents unique challenges – from highly fragmented audiences to regionally diverse consumer behavior. This makes it important to work with a partner who understands our complex structure while delivering data-driven excellence."

Led by Managing Director Marian Bunte, the team impressed with a data-driven, technology-powered, and digitally focused B2B2C approach that intelligently integrates branding and performance. GORE-TEX materials are not end-consumer products purchased directly. The objective is to influence consumers' purchasing decisions for partner brand products. As an ingredient brand, the GORE-TEX Brand does not have its own conversion data – making the requirements for a targeted, cross-channel media strategy more complex.

At the heart of the communication strategy is, alongside the professional segment, the “ambitious outdoor all-rounder” within the well-established consumer segment. Mediascale segments this diverse audience into distinct personas and translates these insights into actionable audience profiles along the entire customer journey through the use of an intelligent tech stack. The technological backbone is an AI-based data hub that intelligently links usage, retail, and market data. Tools such as the “Growth Investor” analyze all available data to optimize and dynamically control the ideal media mix between branding and performance measures. A custom client dashboard enables real-time campaign adjustments and continuous optimization through an iterative learning process. In this way, the media plan becomes the starting point – not the endpoint – of communication.

In addition to tech and strategy, the human connection was also a key factor in the pitch. As a passionate trail runner, Marian Bunte understands the demands placed on outdoor products firsthand: “We didn’t just show up as a media agency – we genuinely understand the brand. Our team’s authentic interest in the products and the close, collaborative partnership quickly created a true one-team spirit. The difference lay in the depth – in how we analyzed the target groups and positioned GORE-TEX Products for what it truly is: a premium seal of quality, innovation, and functionality.”

The first campaigns are set to launch in fall 2025 and will accompany, among other initiatives, the introduction of the new GORE-TEX Pro technology based on the innovative ePE membrane. The communication will be entirely digital – with a video-first approach and a customized orchestration of Over-the-Top Video (OTT), Outstream, Native, Programmatic, and Search.