As thousands of Comic-Con fans deplane, the first thing that they’ll see won’t be a promo for the next Avengers film or The Walking Dead but a huge graphic cartoon of a captive orca with SeaWorld’s CEO in his mouth. The display, which urges convention goers to steer clear of SeaWorld because of marine-mammal cruelty and confinement, is a joint project between Bluewater Productions and PETA.
The installation greets passengers on their way to baggage claim at the center of Terminal 2. The creative reads, “He will let you go if you let him go.”
Of the work, Bluewater Founder Darren Davis said, “Comic-Con fans love blood and guts when they’re fake, but at SeaWorld, it’s all too real for comfort. The orcas are desperate to be free. That’s why trainers have been killed, and that’s what we’re depicting in this campaign with PETA.”
PETA Senior VP Dan Mathers adds, “SeaWorld has been in a free fall since Blackfish premiered — attendance is down 13 percent, investors are dumping millions of dollars in stock, and bands are canceling concerts at the parks.”
I’ll be honest, I’ve been to SeaWorld and have seen the Shamu show. It is awesome. And as much as I loved seeing the show — and elephants at Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey — it’s not the kind of entertainment I’ll be frequenting in the future.
