The movement to free killer whales is at a crossroads. Seven years after TakePart's parent company, Participant Media, produced the Oscar-winning documentary film The Cove, more than 1 million people have signed a petition demanding the end to not only the annual dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan, but the capture and importation of dolphins, orcas, and other sea mammals for human entertainment. SeaWorld recently announced it will end its practice of breeding the animals in captivity in the United States. But a marine park building boom in China is driving the capture of wild killer whales, dolphins, and beluga whales, spawning a shadowy international trade in these highly intelligent and social marine mammals, which are often held in deplorable conditions for years and even lifetimes to serve as profitable entertainment for tourists. Conservationists now fear that the growing demand for killer whales and belugas threatens the viability of wild populations. TakePart sought to raise readers' awareness of marine mammal captivity and give them the information and tools to take action to protect these animals and experience them responsibly.
In June, TakePart launched Captive, an immersive multimedia editorial series that investigated marine mammal captivity around the world through feature stories, explanatory video, and an interactive quiz that educated readers about a rare killer whale and then provided them with a guide to ethical whale watching. TakePart's journalists traveled from the Pacific Northwest to China to report on plans to return captive killer whales to the ocean—and stop a new wave of captivity.
TakePart's Todd Woody traveled to China to report on the rapid expansion of marine parks in that country that has led to the capture of killer whales for the first time in decades, threatening the survival of wild populations of the ocean's top predator. The story investigated the largely unregulated international trade and transport of marine mammals and took readers inside China's marine parks to document the substandard treatment of whales and dolphins and to meet the activists attempting to change public attitudes toward captivity in an authoritarian country. A video by Connor Ficcadenti traced 50 years of marine mammal captivity and efforts to free whales and dolphins.
Contributing writer David Kirby, author of the influential book Death at SeaWorld, journeyed along the Pacific Northwest coast to meet with marine scientists and activists who are developing plans to relocate captive killer whales to sea pens. An accompanying video produced by Leighton Akio Woodhouse brought those plans to life, giving viewers a detailed look at sea pens and what killer whales' lives would be like in their new homes.
In Florida, Taylor Hill explored the plight of the manatee, an iconic marine mammal that is wild but not free because of a burgeoning wildlife tourism industry that is bringing people into dangerous proximity to the gentle and endangered animals.
Readers were presented with two ways to take action on this important issue, sponsored by Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project.
The marketing of this content was focused on capitalizing and looking beyond the news from SeaWorld, as well as the consumer angle of the beginning of summer vacation season. Working with TakePart, environmental activists Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau completed a one-day nationwide live broadcast media tour in 14 television markets to promote the series. The Cousteaus gave an overview of the editorial offering, answered questions about the state of marine mammals in captivity, and offered viewers tips on where to see these magnificent creatures in the wild. In addition, targeted organic and paid social media initiatives, such as an Instagram takeover by the Oceanic Preservation Society, marketed this timely and compelling editorial series. Finally, TakePart partnered with the Oceanic Society to give away a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see the gray-whale migration up close. TakePart published an opinion piece written by Wayne Pacelle, president of The Humane Society of the United States, who was largely responsible for encouraging SeaWorld to end its captive breeding practices. The piece was promoted across numerous social and partner channels.
This campaign was wildly successful on the site, on social media, and in the media. The content series garnered more than 8 million impressions, and the videos were viewed nearly a million and a half times across all platforms. High-profile influencers such as Ashton Kutcher shared multiple pieces of content to their social profiles. The series saw readers spending 31 percent more time on the site regular content. More than 8,000 people entered the trip sweepstakes, and 55,000 people took action and pledged to never again buy a ticket to a dolphin or a whale show. An additional 3,000 signatures joined those of the more than 1 million people who are demanding an end to the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan. Finally, through mainstream print and broadcast television coverage, millions more were made aware of this pressing issue.
