Love is in the air in the #DMV! Yes, nothing brings people together more than a championship sports team. This was on full display during the Washington Capitals Stanley Cup Parade yesterday on Constitution Avenue.
The windfall of excitement was palpable, libations were flowing and the air-horn prompted chanting was as memorable as the 43-year wait. But the flip side of the emotional experience is the very real economic impact of it all. It’s worth noting a few of the brands and associated marketing beneficiaries.
From the brands that were real-time winners (who smartly bet in this season’s team) by sponsoring the Caps to the media outlets that were selling incremental space and time at a frenzied pace for each “big ratings” finals win and ultimately for the BIG game—all find themselves in the winner’s circle. Up and down the supply-chain of brand and marketing strategists are an incalculable roster of winners.
PHOTOS ABOVE BY GEOFF LIVINGSTON https://geofflivingston.com
First and foremost – the CAPS. I imagine season’s tickets, sponsorships, merchandise, strategic partnerships and brand cross promotions will be on the rise. The agencies and partners who represent existing and prospective brands that seek to align themselves with the CAPS will also see an increase in opportunity, and likely revenue.
Endorsement deals, promotional efforts and appearances will be in demand. Everyone wants to be with a winner – and share the spotlight. One only needs to follow the Twitter “goldmine” of goodwill when Caps’ TJ Oshie and Matt Niskanen took METRO to the Capital One Arena for Game 3 to see the positive “mojo” of this totally spontaneous endorsement.
This also ups the ante for our abundance of sports super-teams. Admittedly “in the tank” for our region, I can only envision the next celebration for the “Nats” and the impact of their run up to and winning of the World Series for the Greater Washington area. Again, a moment in time to align with winners and invest in being part of a broad-based consumer lovefest!
So many businesses and brands benefit from this emotionally defining moment; from incremental visitors to the DC area and ongoing “CAPS” merchandise purchases to the hotels, restaurants, food trucks and street vendors. Not to mention the agencies, designers, strategists, printers, events planners and caterers they engage.
#WeAreALLCAPS: Perhaps the biggest brand to benefit from the hundreds of millions of positive impressions brought by this championship is the Greater Washington region itself. This singular event showcases our region as “more than just a Federal city”, but a region with heart and soul; real people who shape our area as a dynamic, growing and good place to live. All this, while we’re attracting the attention of more brands including Amazon HQ2 and Apple – understanding the amazing people who live and work here that drive our economy and shape the country is a rare and refreshing branding opportunity for us all.
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