KemperLesnik, a Chicago-based sports marketing agency, has launched its own esports division. The company operates in the areas of public relations, events, sports marketing, and content marketing and is now looking to explore esports.
Leveraging know-how
Looking to capitalize on its experience in traditional sports, KemperLesnik is dipping a toe into the esports industry. The agency draws its knowledge from a broad variety of collaborations with top brands. These include McDonald’s, KitchenAid, and the NFL Draft, among others.
While creating a dedicated esports division is a first for the company, it’s not the first time KemperLesnik has worked in the esports field. Earlier this year, the company collaborated with Riot Games on the League of Legends College Championship.
“Intense competition in esports creates passionate fans, and passion for sports is in our DNA.” said KemperLesnik Executive Vice President and Co-Managing Director Tom Valdiserri in a press release. “We look forward to harnessing the power of esports to connect brands with fans, shift perceptions and make emotional connections via content marketing.”
The newly launched esports division will focus on esports events, sponsorships, and brand development. In managing media coverage, social media projects, and content marketing, the agency should be a valuable asset to any esports partner.
“We have built our agency over 40 years utilizing sports to build brands and engage with audiences,” said KemperLesnik Executive Vice President and Co-Managing Director Amy Littleton. “Esports is the next frontier of competition and fandom in sports, and we are using our talent and expertise to help esports continue its emergence into mainstream sporting culture.”
Getting on board with esports
As the esports industry expands, more and more non-endemic companies are showing interest. Many agencies have launched their own esports divisions to secure a piece of the pie.
UK-based information and valuation company Nielsen, for example, announced its foray into esports last year. Talent agency CUBE also recently announced its team that will focus on all things esports. The company also welcomed former Counter-Strike pro Emil “HeatoN” Christensen to the group to help grow the division.
German advertising agency Grey also decided to get involved with competitive gaming. In April this year, the company launched its own esports unit, looking to offer tailored consulting services to interested parties.
