As part of a continued effort to address public concerns over its treatment of captive dolphins and whales, SeaWorld Entertainment has launched a new ad campaign highlighting its 50-year commitment to continuous evolution, new killer whale habitats and demystify criticism from activists.
Pressure from animal activist groups such as PETA, which issued more than 110 press releases about SeaWorld in the last two years, and the 2013 documentary Blackfish, which exposed how killer whales are kept and treated in captivity, resulted in a maelstrom of bad press and public outcry.
"There's been a lot of misinformation and even lies spread about SeaWorld, and we recognize that it has caused some people to have questions about the welfare of killer whales in human care," said David D'Alessandro, Chairman and Interim CEO, SeaWorld Entertainment in a press statement on Monday. "This long-term campaign will address those questions head on. We want to provide the facts, so people can make up their own minds on this important issue."
In an effort to increase transparency, SeaWorld launched a “You Ask. We Answer.” website as well answering the public's questions via the @SeaWorld handle on Twitter. A move mirrors McDonald’s"Our food. Your questions." campaign, during which McDonald’s had two-way conversations with consumers about food ingredients and other concerns, such as allegations of pink slime.
YouTube videos also show SeaWorld’s marine mammals being cared for by park veterinarians:
Print ads are running in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and other media outlets throughout the Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio areas, where SeaWorld operates marine parks. Notably, none of the ads address Blackfish directly.
SeaWorld maintains that orcas were held captive because of aggressive behavior, noting that trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed by one in 2010. However, John Hargrove, who spent 14 years as an orca trainer and appeared in Blackfish, argues that captivity causes their aggression, not instinct.
"As I became higher-ranked” at SeaWorld, Hargrove told NPR, “I saw the devastating effects of captivity on these whales and it just really became a moral and ethical issue.”
SeaWorld’s incoming CEO, Joel Manby, will take the reigns in April. So far SeaWorld has spent $10 million in rehabilitation efforts, announcing it would build larger enclosures for its orcas and contribute to ongoing killer whale research while creating a partnership focused on ocean health.