Shark Week, television’s longest-running summer event, is in full force. Through Sunday, Aug. 4, The Discovery Channel will air 20 hours of programming to include groundbreaking research, stories and sightings of one of the world’s most feared living creatures as told by renowned marine biologists and scientific institutions. It is reported that Shark Week draws nearly 1.5 million viewers and earns more than $100 million for the network through advertising and merchandise, including DVD’s and apparel. It’s the Super Bowl of the summer for marine life.
Why are we such easy shark bait? In addition to the frenzy that is Shark Week, here are three ways in which shark coverage across traditional and social media platforms creates a ripple effect out of water:
Safety:
This summer, shark sightings and attacks continue to dominate headlines up the East Coast as sharks appear in increasing numbers, resulting in some beach closures. While some sharks carry tracking devices, these mysterious creatures tend to follow seals and aren’t afraid to swim close to shore. Sharks are more plentiful around Cape Cod these days, for example, because the grey seal population has exploded, and they are keen on them as a food source.
Stories of shark locations, getting Shark Smart, how to prevent attacks and rare sightings help to educate the public on how to stay safe in the ocean during the summer swim season. Knowing where, when and how to spot a shark as well as what to do once you have encountered one, helps to save lives. Beaches close, signage and social media statuses are posted, swimmers are advised only to go into the ocean waist deep and life guards become better equipped to care for victims in the event of an attack. But, it’s still also very important to keep perspective: only six people a year die from shark encounters worldwide while 100 million sharks die from human interactions.
Conservation:
On the other hand, the ways in which sharks are often villainized in the media creates a greater sense of fear. The classic example is the1975 movie Jaws. The response has created an opportunity for scientific institutions to step up educational efforts so people learn more about the critical role sharks play in marine environments.
Just last week, I was at the Cisco Brewery pop up in Boston’s Seaport neighborhood where Ocearch, a data-centric organization built to help scientists collect previously unattainable data in the ocean, was collecting donations to tag, track and save sharks in Massachusetts waters in exchange for shark-themed swag. Funds raised will support the nonprofit’s year-round work to restore balance and abundance in the ocean.
And, a respected colleague of the New England Aquarium, Teak’s client, spoke before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works last week to advocate to save the declining shark population, a quarter of which is threatened with extinction with overfishing being the primary driver of population declines, followed by factors related to habitat loss and climate change. Dr. Nick Whitney, Senior Scientist at the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life and Chair of the Fisheries Science and Emerging Technologies Program, has studied sharks for more than 20 years, tagging over a dozen shark species. While he acknowledged the pain of shark attacks and fatalities, he also spoke of the dangers without sharks in our oceans and what that would do to our ecosystem.
Publicity:
Finally, the persona of sharks as the unstoppable kings of the ocean that we have created has opened a marketing frenzy for organizations, brands and celebrities to capitalize on. From the Baby Shark song and dance and newly released cereal to shark animated movies and gummy candies, a more public example comes to mind.
As part of Shark Week in 2017, it was publicized that 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps would race a great white shark coined “Phelps Vs. Shark: The Battle for Ocean Supremacy.” While the 100-meter race itself was a bit disappointing in that Phelps raced a shark simulation and lost, because sharks are faster than humans, the hype proved profitable. In anticipation, #PhelpsVsShark and #GreatGoldVsGreatWhite with a 30-second trailer plastered social media. During pre-race interviews, Phelps shared how he was preparing for the competition, generating buzz for the network and his brand. And during the race, millions of viewers joined conversations around all things shark-related. While some viewers referred to the race as a sham, the amount of attention the stunt attracted speaks volumes.
Like them or fear them, sharks share our waters. Pay attention to messaging and swim safely!
