OK, so killer whales are technically mammals. But take a famous one like Shamu out of water (figuratively, of course), put his image on a Volkswagen Beetle, and send him on
road trips around the country, and you've got an event marketing campaign that causes a true sensation.
Busch Entertainment Corp., a subsidiary of Anheuser Busch, operates three SeaWorld parks around the country. The marketing communications team was looking for a way to bring
the brand to potential park visitors in a variety of areas. But when your product is a water park and your "spokesman" is a 10,000-pound killer whale, the brand experience isn't
exactly mobile. SeaWorld's solution was a campaign that came to be dubbed "Shamu Across America." The team came up with the Shamu Cruiser, customized with tail flukes, dorsal fins
and killer whale paint jobs. Originally, there was one Cruiser, but "it occurred to us that we had all our creative in one spot. If one Shamu is a novelty, 30 is an event," says
Fred Jacobs, corporate director of communications for Busch Entertainment. The whales were launched in spring of 2001 and are headed back out on the road again this year. "Not
only did we generate an awful lot of exposure," Jacobs says, "we were able for the first time in a long time to have a fully-integrated impact in these areas."
A Whale of a Job
A media plan is scheduled for each stop on the tour, and SeaWorld PR staffers work to secure major TV segments in advance. Morning shows are offered the opportunity to send
reporters around town in one of the Cruisers equipped with in-car cameras so that they can broadcast live segments throughout the show. Radio station partners are secured to build
anticipation of the arrival of the Shamu Cruisers. Partner stations conduct contests for two weeks before the cars arrive in a particular tour stop, offering winners a SeaWorld
vacation.
SeaWorld also looks for camera-worthy opportunities for the Cruisers prior to their arrival. Shamu has appeared in Savannah's St. Patrick's Day parade, taken a spin around the
Daytona Speedway and been through a drive-through wedding chapel in Las Vegas.
The team naturally also schedules stops at the Anheuser Busch Brewery Tour Center, Anheuser Busch Breweries and wholesaler locations, and sister parks Sesame Place and Busch
Gardens. Plus, the park makes it a point to send Shamu Cruisers to schools and children's hospitals in every location. School kids are invited to do a mock tryout to be a killer
whale trainer, and hospitalized children receive plush Shamu toys.
Once they reach a destination, Shamu Cruiser drivers are more than prepared for their media appearances: Instead of hiring drivers, SeaWorld's staff members operate as the
"Shamu Car Pool." More than 120 employees form the driving corps. Each driver must undergo a full day of training in safety, communications and tour logistics. Plus, they are
given a tour handbook and uniform before hitting the road. "It's important to have marketing people drive the cars," Jacobs says. "Their responsibility is selling stuff, not only
with guests, but with the media. They understand the dynamics of the markets. Plus it had the unexpected benefit of creating team cohesion - the morale effect is tremendous."
Whale on the Web
A link on the http://www.seaworld.com Web site offers consumers who have experienced or heard about the tour a chance to check out the
Shamu Across America tour map and schedule; download a screensaver; enter an online vacation sweepstakes; and link to the ticket-buying Web site. The Web address is painted on the
bumper of each car and included in collateral material.
Making a Splash
The Shamu Across America tour has been a phenomenal success for SeaWorld. The Shamu Cruisers have traveled 9,000 miles through 26 states and three countries. Media coverage in
2001 resulted in 50 million-plus impressions, including major-market newspapers and TV programs, national trade pubs and an appearance on "Oprah." At least 120,000 people visited
the Shamu Across America Web site with its link to SeaWorld tickets.
Plus, total attendance in the tour's 24 major markets increased 9 percent over the five-year average.
While the SeaWorld Orlando team focused primarily on Northeastern markets in 2001, the team is concentrating its efforts on Southeastern states to encourage tourists who are
more comfortable driving to their vacation destination this year.
(Contact: Jacobs, Busch Entertainment: 314/577-2000)
Campaign Stats
Budget: Will not disclose
Timeframe: Spring 2001, ongoing in 2002
Pooling Resources: Partnerships with LaQuinta and AAA proved important in launching the Shamu Across America tour. Even killer cars can break down, and weary drivers need a
place to rest in between legs of the journey. In exchange for visibility and recognition in the tour (as well as Shamu stops at AAA locations in each market), the hotel chain and
automobile association were valuable partners for a road tour.