Overview
In 2019, I produced a landmark brand collaboration between Pokemon GO and the Latinx Games Festival, one of the most distinctive cross-cultural activations in the festival’s history, and a blueprint for what authentic brand integration inside a cultural gaming event can look like.
What I Did
The Latinx Games Festival was featured directly inside Pokemon GO during the event. The Museum of Latin American Art became an official in-game location, with the Latinx Games Festival named as the in-game Gym, placing the festival’s brand inside one of mobile gaming’s most recognizable experiences. Rare Pokemon and exclusive in-game items spawned at the venue during the festival, driving foot traffic from the Pokemon GO community while introducing festival attendees to the app.
The result was a rare dual-audience cross-promotion: mainstream mobile gaming audiences discovered the Latinx Games Festival, and Latinx Games Festival attendees engaged with Pokemon GO in a culturally meaningful setting.
Outcomes
- Latinx Games Festival featured as a named in-game Gym inside Pokemon GO
- Rare Pokemon and exclusive items drove incremental foot traffic to the venue
- Dual-audience reach: Pokemon GO community introduced to the festival; festival attendees engaged with the app