From Local Love to National Buzz: Amplifying The Pokémon North America International Championships Year 2
by Julia Higgins
One of the most exciting parts of working in PR? The travel – and the chance to turn big moments into even bigger wins for our clients! This year, we had the opportunity to return to The Pokémon North America International Championships in New Orleans for the second time, and we couldn’t be more excited about wrapping such a successful, fun event in the Big Easy!
Coming off last year’s momentum, our goal was clear: expand beyond traditional gaming media to reach new audiences, tell deeper stories, and drive meaningful buzz across lifestyle, local, and national outlets.
By tapping into fresh media verticals, including popular mainstream outlets with strong brand ties, regional broadcast stations, and social-first platforms, we saw a more than 100% increase in total impressions year-over-year!
Here’s how we made it happen:
A Broader Media Strategy:
Historically, The Pokémon North America International Championships has been a hub for gaming-focused media and coverage, and while we stayed true to that core audience, this year we layered in new storytelling opportunities aimed at mainstream press and regional media outlets. Including:
- Mainstream Media-Driven Content: We curated exclusive first-look moments at the Pokémon Center Pop Up and curated press experiences specifically designed to resonate with mainstream reporters and social media audiences. Think: hands-on demos, trend-forward visuals, and tailored interviews and content ideas.
- Hometown Heros: We partnered with neighborhood hobby shop owners in the area to help amplify our presence while tapping into NOLA pride and community interest. These local tie-ins resonated particularly well with regional outlets, including an interview feature with New Orleans’ top outlet, NOLA.com.
- Broadcast-Ready Moments: To take over the local broadcast waves, we offered interviews with key players and executives from The Pokémon Company International, giving local stations content that was visually compelling and packed with local insight into the event. We even had Good Morning New Orleans film before the hall opened!
The result? An explosion of media coverage, a wider and more diverse audience reached, and a major win for the brand!
And with the Pokémon 2025 World Championships just around the corner in August, we can’t wait to bring more buzz to the West Coast! See you in Anaheim!