Level Up: Marketing in the Billion Dollar Esports Industry

Join our inaugural Agency Insights with a peek inside Rational Interaction, who'll provide both a casual industry mixer and a panel discussion focused on what esports means to marketers and business leaders, all with breathtaking views from their fun space on the 52nd floor of the former WaMu tower.

Gaming industry professionals will help define:

What esports is and why it’s relevant
Who the audience is and why they’re so valuable
The always-on esports media ecosystem
How to drive bottom-line business results in this space

Beer/wine/light food included

The Talent

Featured

Gary Gonzalez

Senior Strategist
Rational Interaction

Audience obsessed, data-driven marketer living and breathing all things gaming and esports. Holder of a master’s degree in integrated marketing from Northwestern University and currently ranked in the top 1% on PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds on Xbox.

LinkedIn
Twitter

Danny Pham

Pro gamer, Bodybuilder, Fitness personality
Str8 Rippin

Danny Pham is both a Pro gamer and champion bodybuilder. He has his sights set on changing the reputation of out of shape gamers through fitness while still maintaining his world ranking in Street Fighter 5.

Twitter
Twitch

Ken Rufo, PhD

Principal
Emphatic Thinking

Emphatic Thinking is a consulting agency focused on solving go-to-market problems and improving how organizations understand their audiences and the ways those audiences process messages. Their clients include some of the biggest names in technology, as well as some of the really interesting start-ups.

Ken holds a PhD in Communication, and has taught courses in persuasion, research, communication and media studies. He served on the faculty of the University of Washington’s Communication Leadership Program, where he taught courses on digital disruption, gaming and engagement, and the analysis and assessment of network health. His own academic research focuses primarily on media ecology, or the role that different media combinations have in shaping psychology, social norms, and belief.

Amanda Holberg

Paid Social Strategist
Rational Interaction

Amanda was running social media campaigns before it was cool, or even a profession. She is dedicated to staying on top of the ever-changing social landscape and executing strategies that integrate organic, paid, and influencer partnerships. Her client work spans luxury retail, editorial, tech and gaming—proving any brand can be social in her experienced hands.

Brian Ekberg

Community Manager
Forza/Microsoft

Brian Ekberg is the community manager for the Forza Motorsport franchise, and joined the Turn 10 Studios team in 2010. An 18-year veteran of the videogame industry, Brian previously worked as senior editor and video host for GameSpot.com. He currently directs community operations and communications for the Forza franchise and serves as a host/analyst for Forza’s official esports program, the Forza Racing Championship.

Twitter

Forza Motorsport
Website
Twitter

Forza RC
Website
Twitter