Image Provided by SeaWorldSeaWorld is celebrating its 60th anniversary all year long and is beginning this with its new ad spots.
The week of April 1, SeaWorld will launch its “So Many Worlds to Love” campaign, showcasing a captivating video where a family of four genuinely falls in love with the myriad attractions SeaWorld has to offer. The campaign’s 15 and 30-second ad spots will be running on connected television and various social media platforms.
Marisa Thalberg, SeaWorld’s CMO, highlighted that the campaign offers a unique opportunity to narrate the SeaWorld experience through the perspective of a single family. She emphasized the emotional resonance this narrative brings, focusing on the beloved animal encounters that form the core of SeaWorld’s attractions.
Thalberg added the inclusion of traditional theme park thrills alongside the opportunity for families and friends to enjoy a day filled with fun, joy, and excitement. Ultimately, the campaign aims to provide visitors with a transformative experience by fostering encounters with ocean wildlife, promoting understanding, appreciation, and engagement with conservation efforts, thus distinguishing the SeaWorld proposition in the market.
“There is a sweet spot with families so it made sense for us to be able to see the experience through the eyes of children, through the eyes of parents, and through the eyes of parents seeing it through the eyes of their children,” she said, emphasizing that these aspects are integrated into SeaWorld’s daily marketing communications as it represents the higher-level essence of what the SeaWorld proposition entails.
As a double-entender of sea as well as a visual pun, Thalberg recognized that the message of “there’s so much more to sea” resonated with everyone. Consumer research informed the new campaign’s core strategy, which reflects this theme. Thalberg emphasized the need to communicate and explain the full scope of experiences offered at SeaWorld’s parks, despite their widespread recognition.
With its campaign, SeaWorld aims to get more people talking about the brand, rather than the brand itself. This is similar to what X Games is doing with its social media strategy.
SeaWorld strategically chose to launch its campaign in spring, capitalizing on the peak season of spring break and the upcoming summer, which typically sees a surge in visitation. This timing aligns with the brand’s goal of attracting local visitors who are more likely to purchase annual passes and frequent the parks regularly.
In terms of social media strategy, SeaWorld has found success on Instagram, leveraging it as a key platform to promote the brand and collaborating with influencers who authentically love the brand, regardless of their previous experience working with other brands. The brand gives these influencers the opportunity to share their genuine stories, amplifying the reach and engagement of the brand.
On the other hand, SeaWorld’s approach on TikTok differs. While SeaWorld uses Instagram for brand promotion, it utilizes TikTok as a platform to showcase creativity and highlight user-generated content. The brand is increasingly activating its presence on TikTok, prioritizing content created by users rather than solely relying on brand-generated content.
As SeaWorld continues to evolve its social media strategy, particularly on TikTok, and adapt to changing trends and consumer preferences, it anticipates further growth and engagement in the days, weeks, and months ahead according to Thalberg.
“Our expectation and the reality is that people are going to share the beauty of those experiences on whatever social channel they prefer,” she said. “We want people to be sharing and we love seeing it and we love engaging with it when we can.”
