Glide Fins unveils FIN FOR A FIN via Leo Burnett – the surf fin that stops sharks being killed
Leo Burnett, Melbourne in partnership with Glide Fins has launched FIN FOR A FIN, a social enterprise producing specially marked surf fins that alert authorities to a surfer’s wishes for a shark not to be killed, in retaliation to an attack.
The ocean is a shark’s home. It’s their domain. Surfers understand the risks of getting in the water. Yet, when there’s a shark attack, it fuels an atmosphere of hysteria that can lead to the vengeful killing of one of the world’s oldest creatures. And it happens without the surfer’s wishes ever truly being known, as there’s no way for them to communicate it.
Says Alex Metson, senior creative, Leo Burnett, Melbourne: “Some of us here are surfers, some aren’t. But we all believe in the protection of the ocean, and that every person has the right to have his or her voice heard in the event of tragedy. There will be people that don’t agree with us. But judging by the response so far, there’s a large, passionate group of surfers who 
do.”
Fronted by ambassador Mike Coots, Hawaiian surfer and shark attack survivor, FIN FOR A FIN wants to put an end to the eye-for-an-eye mentality.
Says Coots: “It’s their domain. We know the risks when we get in the water. Yet, when there’s an attack, we seek revenge.”
If a surfer chooses to ride with the fins they’re telling the world “If my life’s taken, don’t take theirs.”
Profits from the high-performance fins will go toward protecting both sharks and surfers, by funding shark alert network, Dorsal, and shark education and research charity, Tag For Life. Helping to create a cycle of coexistence. Not killing.
FIN FOR A FIN is also developing a global registry that records the surfer’s wishes, letting next of kin and authorities know they want the shark protected.
Relying completely on groundswell, FIN FOR A FIN has received support from Australian shark attack survivor and advocate, Paul de Gelder, pro surfer Claire Bevilacqua, as well as other surfers and conservationists across the globe. With PR managed by InsideOutPR, FIN FOR A FIN has featured on Channel Ten’s The Project, ABC, national newspapers and international surf magazines such as The Inertia.
Says Coots: “If we kill sharks, we’re killing the oceans, we’re killing ourselves.”
Available in a 3-piece thruster set and a single fin, along with other products, surfers who share in the belief can order their fins now at finforafin.com.
18 Comments
I hate this.
What about boogie boarders? Surely the shark get a medal for chomping a couple of them?
As a surfer, I find this really lame. Totally clutching at straws.
@carlin and Gavin
can you please explain your stance. its not helpful to anyone if you dont
This ‘campaign’ typifies absolutely everything that’s wrong with advertising and ad creativity. It’s not good enough that we try and do a good job selling stuff for our clients. The only work that really gets noticed at the big shows these days is the stuff that’s trying to change the world. And it’s utter bullshit. Example, this:
I love how all you have to do for an Award now is essentially start your own website and become your own client.
This is in the terms and conditions:
This website, http://www.finforafin.com (the Website), is owned and operated by Leo Burnett (Vic) Pty Ltd (ABN 18 004 403 730), (the Company, also referred to as “we”, “us”, and “our”).
This is embarrassingly bad. Ashamed this has come out of our industry.
So, if I get eaten by a shark, someone throughout this absolute horror and tragedy will notice the logo on my fins and say “Oh! don’t worry about trying to hunt down the shark, he had these fins”
For starters, Fin For A Fin sounds more like an eye for an eye.
A lot of effort for what could essentially just be a sticker.
This is cynical shit.
How can this be one of your Cannes Contenders when you’re only just releasing it? Looks like the PR around it happened in late May, well after the Cannes deadline. Not to mention the product doesn’t even exist yet as the link only takes me to a crowdfunding site.
Speaking of Leo’s Cannes contenders, how is Reword in again this year? It was awarded last year.
So you’re asking someone to make a statement based on the assumption they’ll brutally die from a shark attack. Surely a flawed strategy…
alright, as a surfer, this is why its bad:
it’s tone deaf. read the surf forums. not many surfers want out and out heavy shark culling. but nobody wants to be attacked or worse, see their kids attacked. so many people can see the rationale for reducing numbers, even if they don’t love the idea.
there are communities that have had multiple fatalities (lennox) where this is a fraught and heavily nuanced debate. this just comes across as what it is – a stupid pun.
and if i surf sharky places the last thing i need is a fin reminding me of my chance of getting chomped…
Everything that needs to be said about this was said in the theme song:
DEEEER NAH
The idiocy of this has been well spotted and exposed by previous posters.
Ironic that this has clearly been devised to enter into award shows, when any jury worth its salt will throw it out as a scam and an absurdity or both.
Gin for a Gin?
This will be entered into Awards. Because that is what it is, awards bait.
And it will most likely be judged by people who probably don’t surf in a country where there is no surf or sharks and who therefore do not understand the nuances around this issue and the complexity of the debate around shark culling/protecting the community and protecting the oceans.
Thank you @anothersurfer for helping explain why this is so bad.