Already famous for its marine mammals such as the killer whale Shamu, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment launched an aggressive new marketing campaign that showcases its animal rescue and rehabilitation work. The company launched a new campaign and website, called SeaWorld Cares (seaworldcares.com) and encourages people to ask about animal topics on Twitter using the hashtag #AskSeaWorld.
While this new campaign is bringing attention to SeaWorld, it is not all positive, as animal activists have slammed the company and overwhelmed its Twitter feed with claims that SeaWorld mistreats its killer whales. The company is trying to set the record straight and stresses on its website that its killer whales live as long as those in the wild.
The “SeaWorld Cares” website effectively showcases the company’s research on killer whales and how it contributes to the conservation of those in the wild. Their large collection of killer whales permits researchers to monitor individual whales over long periods of time in a controlled setting that cannot be replicated in the wild. It also boasts having attended the first successful birth of a killer whale in captivity.
SeaWorld’s new marketing campaign has been successful at increasing awareness of its animal rescue and rehabilitation work. The company has helped or rescued more than 24,000 animals. It is particularly famous for its work with dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, and pilot whales. SeaWorld has been very rigorous about its rescue efforts and developed them to comply with the Marine Mammal Protection and Endangered Species Acts.
The new website is highly effective at showcasing the company’s dedication to both the animals in the organization’s care, and those throughout the world. Research has been a key component of the company’s commitment to conservation and animal welfare since it was founded nearly fifty years ago. SeaWorld claims that it inspires and educates the millions of visitors to its series of parks each year and that this heightens their sensitivity to the plight of animals in the wild.
This marketing campaign is clearly making waves, but what it does for the company’s bottom line remains to be seen. SeaWorld hopes that bringing its positive contributions to light will help the downward slide of the company’s stock in the past year.