CASE STUDY: PUBLIC RELATIONS

REFRAMING A BRAND NARRATIVE AFTER CONTROVERSY

SHIFTING PUBLIC PERCEPTION USING STRATEGIC PR & REFRAMED MESSAGING

Rising Tides: Bringing Mystic’s Mission to Shore

Mystic Aquarium is a nonprofit organization with a mission to protect aquatic life and empower communities to save our oceans. It is also home to thousands of marine mammal, fish, invertebrate, and reptile species.

Industry

Nonprofit

Castle Services

Public Relations

THE SITUATION

Overcoming controversy and strengthening the public’s perception of the organization’s true mission

When Mystic Aquarium entered 2025, the organization faced a tide of public misunderstanding. Despite its deep commitment to conservation, research, and education, the brand was overshadowed by persistent beluga-related controversy and a perception that reduced the Aquarium to a tourist attraction rather than a mission-driven institution.

This misperception limited community engagement, hindered donor confidence, and obscured the critical scientific and rescue work Mystic leads across Block Island Sound, the Northeast, and the Eastern Seaboard. The organization needed a reset — a strategic, sustained effort to realign public perception with its true impact.

OUR APPROACH

Reframe Mystic Aquarium’s reputation by placing conservation, research, and education at the forefront of storytelling with strategic public relations

Castle partnered with Mystic Aquarium to develop and execute a comprehensive PR strategy to rebuild the brand narrative. Over the course of the year, our team embedded deeply with program leaders, researchers, veterinarians, and educators to understand the full scope of Mystic’s work and identify the stories that would resonate most powerfully with media and the public.

Our approach included:

Strategic Discovery & Message Alignment

Conducted comprehensive intake sessions with internal experts across conservation, research, animal rescue, and education.
Completed on‑site tours to understand operations, ethos, and organizational priorities.
Developed unified messaging centered on three pillars: conservation, research, and education.

Proactive Media Relations & Narrative Reframing

Positioned Mystic as a trusted authority on marine science, animal welfare, and ocean health.
Identified and elevated key spokespeople across departments.
Built a steady drumbeat of mission‑aligned stories that showcased impact, expertise, and community value.

Rapid Response & Reputation Management

Redirected media attention from controversy to credibility.
Ensured all opportunities reinforced Mystic’s mission and scientific leadership.
Provided strategic counsel during sensitive moments to maintain transparency and trust.

THE IMPACT

Boosted community engagement and donor confidence through education

In less than 12 months, Castle helped transform Mystic Aquarium’s public narrative – shifting coverage from reactive to mission‑driven and generating meaningful awareness, engagement, and support.

232 earned media placements
58 million total views
Coverage across national, regional, and local outlets, including: NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, ABC’s Good Morning America, PBS NewsHour, The Boston Globe, Hartford Courant, and dozens of broadcast segments across New England.

Elevating the Animal Rescue Program

The Animal Rescue Program became a cornerstone of the narrative shift. While stories featured charismatic sea turtles and seals, coverage focused on the science and urgency behind the work — rising entanglements, predator‑prey dynamics, human acclimation, and the need for increased funding.

This storytelling:

Drove direct donations
Increased public understanding of marine threats
Positioned Mystic as a regional leader in rescue and rehabilitation

A Reclaimed Identity

Through consistent, strategic visibility, Mystic Aquarium is now recognized as:

A mission‑driven organization, not just an attraction
A trusted scientific authority in conservation and marine research
A community partner inspiring the next generation of ocean stewards

The result is a stronger brand, deeper public trust, and a renewed understanding of Mystic’s essential role in protecting aquatic life and empowering communities to save our oceans.