"The Capitals partnership team constantly strives to work with brands on innovative ways to activate with fans in the 21 plus demographic and drive sales, and it is an honor to be recognized as the Bud Light NHL Partner of the Year by Anheuser-Busch," said Monumental Sports & Entertainment senior vice president of global partnerships Patrick Duffy. "Particularly during such an unprecedented season due to the pandemic, we were focused on continuing to engage with fans and Bud Light in unique ways that combined to offer creative fan engagement and awareness opportunities, and we are grateful to be recognized by such an iconic brand for our efforts."
A long-term Bud Light partner, the Capitals were recognized for multiple activations during a non-traditional season, including their 'Fill the Cooler' and 'Arrival Cam' campaigns.
Fill the Cooler was a custom campaign created by the Capitals that awarded fans the opportunity to win a Bud Light and Capitals co-branded cooler. Fill The Cooler was promoted through a series of custom videos on social media, as well as messaging in-arena and through a second screen at-home experience.
In light of a nontraditional season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Capitals and Bud Light also developed a unique touchpoint for fans with the Bud Light Arrival Cam. Season Ticket Members and fans were given an opportunity to watch and interact with players as they arrived for home games at Capital One Arena. The campaign offered a unique behind-the-scenes engagement opportunity and player touch point in addition to raising awareness for Bud Light.
The award also recognized the Capitals social and digital content execution through features including Gameday Swipes, Bud Light Celly, Guess the First Goal and Fill The Cooler. The Capitals also supported a Stimmy Tix program through dedicated social posts and by providing tickets to first-round winners. Additionally, the Capitals turned the penalty box into a cooler and activated around the space on Twitter.
"The Washington Capitals set a benchmark for activating Bud Light's marketing objectives in the 2020-2021 season," said Bud Light director of sports marketing Joe Barnes. "Partnership is critically important in sports marketing, and the Washington Capitals team went above and beyond to drive relevance and impact with the local fan base."
The Capitals were previously awarded 'Best Creative Execution' by Anheuser-Busch during the 2018-19 season at the Bud Light 2019 NHL Summit.
