AFC​ ​Bournemouth​ launch​ ​'CherryBot'

Called​ ​CherryBot,​ ​it​ ​will​ ​operate​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Facebook​ ​Messenger​ ​platform,​ ​engaging​ ​with​ ​fans and​ ​encouraging​ ​them​ ​to​ ​share​ ​experiences​ ​before​ ​and​ ​during​ ​match​ ​days. 

Collaborating​ ​with​ ​Bournemouth-based​ ​digital​ ​agency​ ​Greenwood​ ​Campbell,​ ​Microsoft​ ​and Bournemouth​ ​University,​ ​AFC​ ​Bournemouth​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​first​ ​Premier​ ​League​ ​clubs​ ​to​ ​trial this​ ​exciting​ ​new​ ​concept​ ​-​ ​a​ ​‘personality’​ ​that​ ​interacts​ ​with​ ​fans​ ​through​ ​emotion​ ​recognition and​ ​intelligent​ ​conversation​ ​-​ ​effectively​ ​becoming​ ​an​ ​additional​ ​member​ ​of​ ​the​ ​squad.

Showcased​ ​to​ ​the​ ​general​ ​public​ ​on​ ​3rd​ ​December,​ ​and​ ​culminating​ ​in​ ​an​ ​official​ ​match​ ​day launch​ ​before​ ​AFC​ ​Bournemouth’s​ ​Premier​ ​League​ ​home​ ​fixture​ ​against​ ​Liverpool​ ​on Sunday,​ ​17th​ ​December,​ ​Greenwood​ ​Campbell​ ​alongside​ ​technical​ ​partners​ ​Microsoft,​ ​have been​ ​developing​ ​the​ ​unique​ ​prototype​ ​ready​ ​for​ ​launch.

Dan​ ​Meineck,​ ​CTO​ ​explains,​ ​“We've​ ​developed​ ​this​ ​chatbot​ ​using​ ​sophisticated​ ​AI technologies​ ​including​ ​emotion​ ​recognition​ ​from​ ​faces​ ​in​ ​images,​ ​natural​ ​language processing​ ​for​ ​conversations,​ ​and​ ​content​ ​moderation​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​inappropriate​ ​content​ ​is automatically​ ​screened.”

The​ ​development​ ​team​ ​comprises​ ​a​ ​number​ ​of​ ​BU​ ​graduates​ ​and​ ​placement​ ​students,​ ​plus support​ ​from​ ​Microsoft​ ​and​ ​Greenwood​ ​Campbell.

Mark​ ​Covell,​ ​Head​ ​of​ ​Communications​ ​at​ ​Bournemouth​ ​University​ ​says,​ ​“We’re​ ​delighted​ ​to be​ ​l​inking​ ​up​ ​with​ ​this​ ​trial​ ​at​ ​the​ ​BU​ ​Big​ ​Match​ ​and​ ​proud​ ​that​ ​a​ ​number​ ​of​ ​BU​ ​graduates and​ ​placement​ ​students​ ​are​ ​working​ ​on​ ​this​ ​exciting​ ​project.​ ​CherryBot​ ​is​ ​a​ ​great​ ​example​ ​of the​ ​opportunities​ ​that​ ​a​ ​placement​ ​in​ ​industry​ ​offers.”

Fans​ ​can​ ​expect​ ​exclusive​ ​competitions,​ ​vote​ ​for​ ​their​ ​man​ ​of​ ​the​ ​match,​ ​watch​ ​video highlights​ ​and​ ​access​ ​facts​ ​and​ ​FAQs.​ ​CherryBot​ ​offers​ ​the​ ​opportunity​ ​for​ ​loyal​ ​fans​ ​to enhance​ ​their​ ​match​ ​day​ ​experience​ ​like​ ​never​ ​before,​ ​and​ ​with​ ​plans​ ​to​ ​develop​ ​the​ ​bot​ ​into a​ ​permanent​ ​fixture​ ​and​ ​mascot​ ​for​ ​the​ ​club,​ ​the​ ​sky’s​ ​the​ ​limit.

AFC​ ​Bournemouth​ ​Commercial​ ​Director,​ ​Rob​ ​Mitchell,​ ​added,​ ​“This​ ​is​ ​an​ ​exciting​ ​project​ ​for AFC​ ​Bournemouth​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​part​ ​of​ ​and​ ​a​ ​great​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​this​ ​year’s​ ​BU​ ​Big​ ​Match.​ ​We​ ​are always​ ​looking​ ​to​ ​embrace​ ​and​ ​utilise​ ​new​ ​technologies​ ​and​ ​believe​ ​CherryBot​ ​will​ ​be​ ​a great​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​our​ ​media​ ​platforms.

“As​ ​a​ ​community​ ​club​ ​we​ ​are​ ​delighted​ ​to​ ​be​ ​working​ ​with​ ​Greenwood​ ​Campbell​ ​and Bournemouth​ ​University,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​support​ ​from​ ​Microsoft,​ ​and​ ​we​ ​are​ ​really​ ​looking​ ​forward to​ ​seeing​ ​the​ ​interaction​ ​between​ ​our​ ​supporters​ ​and​ ​CherryBot."