SeaWorld launches campaign to repair brand image
The company has dealt with growing backlash in the wake of “Blackfish” and is preparing for more criticism after the launch of a former trainer’s book, “Beneath the Surface.”
Now, as the company faces plummeting attendance, declining stock prices and a new round of bad press, it’s going on offense with a new “SeaWorld Cares: You Ask, We Answer” campaign.
One could argue the backlash started with the 2010 death of SeaWorld Orlando trainer Dawn Brancheau, who was killed by the captive orca Tilikum. The 2013 documentary “Blackfish” blamed Brancheau’s death on the stress caused by Tilikum’s captivity.
Now, one of the trainers that appeared in “Blackfish,” John Hargrove, is set to release his take on SeaWorld’s practices in a book titled “Beneath the Surface.” Hargrove has been making the rounds to publicize the book, including appearances on NPR and “The Daily Show,” which are sure to drum up more negative press for SeaWorld.
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