As teams continue to search for ways to monetize assets, the Capitals are turning to social media as a means to generate revenue and bring added value to their corporate partners. Since Jan. 1, the team’s Facebook CapsBot -- an artificial intelligence messenger service that tailors its response based on a variety of frequently asked questions -- has added Pepsi as its presenting sponsor. While there is no Pepsi identifier on the Facebook page or when engaging with CapsBot, the team’s website refers to the feature as “Capsbot presented by Pepsi.” Capitals Digital Media Dir James Heuser said, “We’re taking it to the next step -- how can we integrate more with Pepsi? The main goal of the tool is something fun and informative for fans that’s right there on Facebook.” He said Pepsi, in its fifth season as a Legacy Partner of the franchise, had been “very aggressively looking for innovative social opportunities and asked about associating with our Bot program.” Heuser added that the soft drink brand has also been involved with VR, sponsoring the Pepsi Virtual Reality Experience at Capitals home games.
LET'S CHAT: Another social platform the Capitals have involved corporate partners in is Snapchat. Bud Light, whose parent company A-B InBev has pouring rights at Verizon Center, has been sponsoring Snapchat Stories on game nights the past couple of seasons. Another partner, Capital One, provides geofilters for Capitals home games. Heuser said, “It’s interesting to see how many people are willing to use that branding that will last for 24 hours.”
