The Place to be if You are a Fish!

By Rose Robson

We packed up and boarded the bus bright and early Friday morning, ready for our last day in Atlanta.

At the Georgia Aquarium, Communications Manager Meghann Gibbons welcomed us with her bubbly personality. Meghann and her intern, Mallory, gave us a behind-the-scenes tour of the vast facility. While walking, she commented on how special the aquarium and its residents are, also focusing on the public relations efforts of the organization.

The Georgia Aquarium is the only facility in the United States that has a whale shark exhibit. This exhibit is a huge benefit, but also presents some challenges. In the public relations department, Meghann must be sure to inform the public with honesty and in a timely manner in case something goes awry with these delicate and amazing creatures. When two of the whale sharks died from a tank-treatment mistake, Meghann acted to quickly to let the media and the public know that this was a tragedy, but at the same time a necessary learning experience since so little is known about these animals.

As part of our private tour with Meghann, we went to the top of the aquarium and out on to a bridge spanning the whale shark tank, gazing down into millions of gallons of water. We even got to witness feeding time, and watched as the sharks came to the surface for their mid-morning snack.

Meghann spoke with us about the recent live “Today Show” broadcast at the aquarium in which they designated 54 minutes of the four-hour show to the aquarium. This is a prime example of a loyal friendship between the “Today Show” and the Georgia Aquarium.

Meghann stressed never to burn bridges because it is important to have the media cover stories in a favorable light. She also said, “Media makes other media”. Once CNBC saw the “Today Show” aquarium spot, they too wanted to do a story at the facility. CNBC did interviews with the top CEOs in Atlanta in the aquarium using it as an aesthetic backdrop.

The public relations department in the Georgia Aquarium is known more as a communications department because it works with all sides of communication. The department handles events, press releases, the Web site, e-newsletters and the intranet.

While on the tour, she also gave us valuable information about internships and applying for positions with the aquarium. Meghann warned that if she receives a resume or cover letter with three misspellings, she throws it out. She also stressed the importance of showing personality and tailoring your documents to the organization and position.

The Georgia Aquarium is a landmark in Atlanta, and a place where young and old are able to play and explore. When in Atlanta you must visit this living wonder!