June 2020. Black Lives Matter protests filled the streets, COVID-19 surged across the country and the news cycle moved at breakneck speed. Earning media attention felt nearly impossible for any organization trying to cut through the noise.
The ESA Foundation, a nonprofit leveraging video games to create opportunities for underrepresented youth, saw an opportunity others missed. They were ready to announce their 2020-2021 scholarship class featuring inspiring Black, Hispanic, LGBTQI+ and female scholars, and they knew these stories needed to be heard precisely because the moment demanded it. While Black and Hispanic teens spend significantly more time playing video games than their white counterparts, the data showed that developers creating those games remain overwhelmingly white (69%), heterosexual (79%) and male (71%).
Stratacomm developed a media strategy that turned crisis into opportunity. The team crafted seven story angles and targeted 200+ journalists across education, culture, gaming, technology and diversity beats. The approach was bold and aspirational—pitching top-tier outlets like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and CNN alongside specialized publications. Each pitch was individually crafted, like the “Black Excellence: The Next Generation of Video Game Creators” angle that positioned scholars as change agents working to diversify an industry from the inside out.
The strategy worked. Stratacomm secured interest from CNN, The Hollywood Reporter, Teen Vogue and The Atlantic, while TheRoot.com committed to featuring multiple scholars and the Foundation’s executive director. By connecting the scholars’ personal journeys to larger cultural conversations, Stratacomm ensured that these future game developers didn’t just get scholarships, they got platforms to inspire the next generation.
