In this week’s RCL post we have to elaborate on an idea for our advocacy campaign. To explore this idea, we have to look at the audience we want to target and the media format we will use to get our idea across to that audience.

The reoccurring example of my issue brief and, consequently, my advocacy campaign is the SeaWorld’s bull killer whale Tilikum. From the time he was born in 1981 to the present. Tilikum has been in captivity. He is actually the biggest killer whale to ever be held captive. As a result, he has been a main attraction his whole life. Before he killed Dawn Brancheau in 2010, Tilikum was one of the favorites among the SeaWorld trainers. The general public enjoyed him just as much.

When a person thinks of SeaWorld they are most likely thinking about the orcas and dolphins. This is the reason why my advocacy campaign will be directed to an audience that consists of marine park visitors. The visitors at SeaWorld are shown an exciting display of tricks performed by killer whales, dolphins, sea lions, etc. What they don’t see, however, is what life is like for the animals after the shows. Unlike the executives of companies like SeaWorld, the visitors aren’t biased when it comes to the welfare of the animals. The companies want to make money so they do whatever they can with the animals to keep making money. The visitors come to SeaWorld because they’re interested and excited to see a killer whale in person. The only way a policy against animal captivity can be advocated is through the general public who visit the marine parks. Their money is what fuels the parks and, as a result, the mistreatment of the animals.

I believe the best way to advocate for the animals is through a TED Talk. With a TED Talk, you can incorporate pictures, videos, and short, powerful sayings. In this particular advocacy campaign, the pictures say a thousand words. Through the use of a TED Talk, I’ll be able to show the audience, the marine park visitors, everything that SeaWorld doesn’t show them. I can give them the facts while they can see them for themselves.