Happy couple savagely murders sharks in wedding video

Ad Nut doesn't like sharks but doesn't like the idea of them becoming extinct and ending up in people's soups either. Ad Nut appreciates how this 30-second film uses an insight about Hong Kong weddings and the consumption of shark fin soup to create a scene in which a wedding couple cut off a shark's fin and kick it back into the water. 

The "found footage" style of shooting of course mirrors the archival footage used in shark hunting documentaries, and Ad Nut commends the VFX and compositing job done with the bride and groom. A nice little detail is the bride's costume, which makes the video more unsettling.   

Here are some facts about the consumption of shark fin soup: 

• Sharks have been on the planet for more than 400 million years, but in the last 15 years overfishing has sharply reduced their numbers.
• Hong Kong is one of the largest consumers of shark fins
• Shark fin soup is often served at weddings because of its ancient associations with wealth and prosperity.
• Over 98 percent of a sample of 375 traditional Chinese restaurants surveyed offered shark fin on their 2016 Chinese New Year menus.

Let's hear from Reed Collins, chief creative officer, Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong:

We are enormously proud of our partnership with Hong Kong Shark Foundation and WildAid, and are 100 percent supportive of the important work they do. Our PSA will challenge the traditional practices of Hong Kongers and ask them to step up for the sake of sharks, who are a critical part of the world’s precious marine ecosystem.

CREDITS

Chief Creative Officer: Reed Collins
Creative Directors: Roy Yung, John Koay, Matthew Nisbet
Associate Creative Director: Spring Liu
Producer: Jacqueline Ho
Managing Partner: Samson Choi
Account Coordinator:  Neville Tam
Production and VFX: TREACLE
Director: Tom Mitchell
Producer: Josie Mitchell
D.O.P: Oliver Merz

Ad Nut is a surprisingly literate woodland creature that for unknown reasons has an unhealthy obsession with advertising. Ad Nut gathers ads from all over Asia and the world for your viewing pleasure, because Ad Nut loves you. You can also check out Ad Nut's Advertising Hall of Fame, or read about Ad Nut's strange obsession with 'murderous beasts'.