Stop Finning
Sharkproject e.V.
Issue 7 | July 2008
Agency
Y&R Germany
Creative Team
Christian Daul - Creative Director;Harald Schumacher - Art Director ;Claudia Frank - Art Director;Joern Sauer - Copywriter;Ramon Daehne - Copywriter
Production Team
Marion Lakatos - Agency Producer; HMD Druck GmbH - Production Company
Date
October 2007
Background
Sharkproject e.V., an international organisation for the protection of sharks, wanted to reactivate former supporters and encourage donations. Almost 200,000 sharks are ruthlessly killed every day by cutting off their fins, which are then traded as a gourmet delicacy or supposed remedy. The agency’s brief was to build awareness of the threatening extinction of sharks, focusing on the 'Stop finning' project ('finning' meaning severing sharks’ fins – often on living creatures – for commercial purposes).
Idea
Y&R’s solution was to put the recipients in the position of a shark killer. They sent an unusual envelope in sharkskin-style material, the opening of which simulated the cruel process of shark finning, thus dramatically demonstrating the brutality and inhumanity of the ongoing mass slaughter.
Results
The letter had very high involvement impact and resulted in a 23% increase in donations. Additionally, visits to the website rose by 65% during the mailing period.
Target Audience
Conservationists, divers
Size
5,000 mailings
Our Thoughts
Two shark-related pieces in this issue. One plays on our fear of the creature and then there’s this. The score in Man v Shark stands at about three human beings a year attacked as opposed to tens of thousands of sharks killed for their fins, their carcasses thrown negligently back into the sea. This piece got me involved as a punter and not just as Editor, wanting to do my bit to save one of the most perfectly-evolved species on the planet.