1. Describe the overall problem that you need to solve as the new brand manager for G-Force. What are some indications of financial magnitude of the problem?
2. Why is it important to address the problem? What will happen of Gorshland doesn't the problem?
3. Using your imagination (outside the simulation information), what are some other potential customers/markets for G-Force could enter with their current product lines? (commercial, government, military...). How would you go about assessing the attractiveness of these other potential opportunities?

The Gorshland Company was founded by Rene Guetschlandt in 1972. Raised on a farm in the North Western Territory of Canada, Rene developed a love of the outdoors life and "quiet sports" (non-motorized outdoor sports like hiking, climbing, and camping). In 1962, after Rene and his family moved to Calgary, he became an avid mountain climber cutting his teeth on the sheer rock faces of Mt Joffre. In 1968, after receiving a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Calgary, he met noted Artic Explorer, John England, and accompanied him on an expedition to the Artic Region of Grise Fiord (an Inuit hamlet in the Qikiqtaaluk Region in the territory of Nunavut, Canada). Typical cold weather outerwear at the time was either made from natural fabrics, like cotton or wool, animal fur, or synthetic fabrics (nylon or polyester shell) filled with goose down. Rene realized that any/all of these materials worked reasonably well at temperatures down to freezing weather (32F), but in extreme conditions at the Arctic circle ( -50F and below), it was necessary to layer outerwear to the point that it was hard to move around freely. The bulky layers of materials also did not breath very well and tended to trap moisture (sweat), which can be deadly at the extremely low temperatures he experienced at Grise Fiord.

The Grise Fiord expedition served as an inspiration. Rene began to investigate newly developed materials like Gore-Tex and started working on designs for light weight outerwear that could better retain body heat while enabling moisture to escape. Over the next 2 years, he put together designs for pants, shirts, and jackets and sought out manufacturers to work with the new materials. With seed money from friends and family, Rene opened Gorshland Outfitters in a small storefront in downtown Calgary in the fall of 1972. Gorshland launched a line of rugged, high performance, breathable, water repellent jackets, pants and shirts along with assorted climbing gear and accessories under the G-Tite brand. Within a couple of years, Gorshland established a reputation for high quality, innovative outerwear designs and the company began supplying G-Tite apparel to specialty shops, sporting goods stores, and ski equipment retailers all over Canada. In 1974, Rene began working on developing footwear using a combination of Gore-Tex and other innovative materials. In 1975, Gorshland launched the G-Force footwear brand with several models of climbing and hiking boots. G-Force boots quickly became popular among serious mountaineers and gave Gorshland the broader exposure to get into large American retail chains like REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.). Over the next years, Gorshland continued expansion into complementary products like gloves, socks, scarves, blankets, and climbing accessories.

Throughout the 1980s, quiet sports gained in popularity. More importantly, the high-tech outerwear designed for serious enthusiasts began to appeal to mass market consumers. Performance outerwear was beginning to show up in department stores and discount chains in suburban areas. Dozens of apparel companies entered the performance outerwear market over the next 10 years. Ultimately, U.S. based brands like NorthFace and Columbia grew to dominate the mass market. Niche brands like LL Bean and Eddie Bauer dominated the more casual (fashion-oriented) end of the market.

The closest direct competitor to Gorshland was a company called Patagonia. Founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia had roots with dedicated climbers and serious outdoors enthusiasts. Guetschlandt and Chouinard were in fact friends. Early in their careers, they climbed together in California and often shared ideas for technical climbing apparel. The two companies shared many similarities as well, with a couple of notable exceptions.

Patagonia focused on outerwear and accessories, but for the most part, steered clear of the competitive footwear business (with a few experimental exceptions). Gorshland had staked a claim early in footwear and had become a dominant player in high-tech thermal climbing boots with the Kilimanjaro line.

Although both men had strong roots in the environmental movement, they disagreed on the role that their companies should play in "saving the world." Chouinard increasingly saw Patagonia as a vehicle for environmental activism and committed the company mission to environmental and social causes. This led Patagonia over time to move away from high performance synthetic materials towards more environmentally responsible materials. Guetschlandt, on the other

hand, felt that his company should remain dedicated to innovation and cutting-edge technology for the serious climber. Although Gorshland embraced environmentally responsible material sourcing where possible, the brand stood first and foremost for performance.

By the end of the millennium, Patagonia was emerging as a premier "Imagewear" business for upscale, environmentally conscious consumers who appreciated the company's activist mission; whereas Gorshland had become increasingly dependent upon a smaller but stable and loyal following of hard-core outdoors enthusiasts who appreciated the brand's constant pursuit of higher performance.

By the early 2000's, lifestyles were changing. Quiet sports and the traditional markets for rugged performance outerwear were beginning to see a decline as the original wave of hard-core outdoors enthusiasts were getting older, settling into careers, moving to the suburbs, and having families. Indoor sports were an attractive alternative for working urban and suburban consumers who wanted to engage in regular athletic activity without the inconvenience of traveling to remote places or dealing with inclement weather. Indoor "climbing walls" became a popular substitute for outdoor mountaineering and hiking. Stationary indoor bicycling (spinning) replaced traditional bicycling. Yoga, Cardio, and Cross Training were on the rise and becoming very popular. New forms of sportswear began to appear to meet the needs of athletically active, but busy professionals... who might drop by the gym before work or slip in a spinning session at lunch. The new sportswear category became known as - "Activewear" or "Athleisure" wear. Activewear was designed to function adequately for a particular athletic endeavor while at the same time be stylish enough function as casual wear around the office or at home.

In an effort to diversify their customer base, Gorshland acquired a small activewear maker named LOTUS in 2016. LOTUS specialized in Yoga and Gym/workout apparel. Shortly afterwards, Gorshland entered the swimwear markets with new brands LOTUS AQUA, Ka'Huani, and eSTILO under the creative direction of LOTUS chief designer, Soraya Ross. Later that year, the company reorganized the Gorshland and LOTUS brands under the overall company- RG BRANDS.

Brand, Culture, and Mission

The original Gorshland "Brand" became known for delivering hiking and climbing apparel designed to incorporate significant performance advantages through use of innovative materials. The products did not necessarily stand out style-wise, but were of exceptional quality and delivered benefits for the serious enthusiast. For example, the early Gorshland G-Tite jackets and pants looked outwardly similar to competitive products but were constructed out of newly developed Gore-Tex and microfiber acrylic wool which was much lighter weight, offered superior heat retention, water repellence, and breathability. Gorshland products were also very durable and for many years, the company had good success building the Brand with a core base of serious climbers, hikers, campers, and winter sports enthusiasts.

With the acquisition of LOTUS, Gorshland began actively to transform from a specialty maker of rugged performance outerwear into a more general sportswear/activewear company. The LOTUS brands exposed the company to a larger base of retailers and a broader group of customer segments with different needs. Early on, Gorshland struggled to extend the existing "Gorshland" Brand identity to these new areas as the markets here were more driven by style and fashion than performance. As a result, Rene decided to split the company into two divisions in order to enable his teams to focus on the different needs of the respective customers.

The "Gorshland" division would represent original performance outerwear. The LOTUS division was focused on integrating the latest fashion and design trends in the casual activewear and swimwear markets. The two divisions have separate but complementary missions:

Gorshland - To introduce the latest innovations in materials and designs. We create the outerwear that enables our customers to push their personal boundaries of performance.

LOTUS - To inspire exercise in everyday activity. We create clothing for people to live happier, healthier lives.

Marketing & Social Media

The Gorshland division participates in a number of industry tradeshows like Outdoor Retailer, and regularly sponsors events like the International Climbers Festival, Idaho Mountain Festival, the Colorado Trail Fest...etc.

Starting in 2010, Gorshland began building an online community platform called G-Lander.com. The idea behind the community was to create forum for serious outdoor enthusiasts to communicate with each other, share stories, and discuss all sorts of issues ranging from the latest trends in outdoor sports gear to environmental conservation. Over time, the site expanded to include dealers of mountaineering equipment. Today, G-Lander.com is a members-only site with a combination of end-users (Product Advocates) and specialty independent outdoor gear dealers. Some Product Advocates are professionals, but most are amateur climbers and hikers. The G-Landers co-sponsor a number of events annually with the American Alpine club and local clubs (e.g. Boulder Rock Club, Colorado Free Climbers...etc.). RG uses the G-Lander site for coordinating events & promotions with affiliates. G-Lander.com also acts as a communication hub for local clubs and enables them to plan events and seek sponsorship from the local independent dealers. The site is also used as a conduit for product feedback. The Gorshland Product Design and Development team regularly tests new ideas for materials and designs with the G-Lander community through online polls and surveys. At the present, there are around 8,000 active members.

The LOTUS division participates in a number of destination athletic events including National Walk for Life, the New York and Boston Marathons, US based IRON MAN triathlons, and YogaFest.

LOTUS runs two different social community platforms. The Sweat & Smile Club is dedicated to Yoga and indoor workout sports. The Lotus Club is dedicated to endurance running, bicycling, swimming sports.