Reducing demand for shark fin soup is the most important thing we can do to protect sharks from being driven to extinction. This demand has created the unsustainable, virtually unrestrained killing of sharks. Tens of millions of sharks a year are killed for the shark fin trade.

A survey conducted by our PR agency Grayling in Singapore confirmed findings of a 2011 Bloom study in Hong Kong indicating a significant number of people in Chinese communities are aware of the problems associated with shark fin soup. They want to stop or curtail their consumption. But our study also found that despite their willingness to stop eating shark’s fin soup, they continue to eat and even serve it because of the strong social pressure to do so. More cultural reinforcement is necessary to show that now is the time to act on your convictions and reject shark fin soup.

“I’m FINished” answers a timely need: make it socially acceptable to not eat shark fin soup.
The Shark Fin Soup campaign also works to reinforce the reasons not to eat shark fin soup. It is vital to educate those people who are not yet aware of the dangers to sharks caused by the shark fin trade and dispel misinformation that is being aggressively distributed by those benefitting from the shark fin trade.

2009
Yao Ming PSA’s aired in China. Shark Savers teamed with WildAid and their spokesperson, Yao Ming, one of China’s biggest and most influential stars to produce and distribute a television public service announcement (PSA) and 1,000 bus and video billboards. We also produced an online campaign in China.

2011
I Pledge campaign persuades citizens in Hong Kong to stop eating shark fin soup. Shark Savers produced an innovative media and grassroots campaign called I Pledge. In I Pledge, former consumers of shark fin soup share their reasons with members of their community why they have stopped eating shark fin soup. These citizens are compelling and persuasive, encouraging others to join them. I Pledge was launched with citizens from Hong Kong in both Cantonese and English.

2012
Singapore celebrities encourage the public to say I’m FINished with FINS. We launched the third generation of our shark fin soup campaign, “I’m FINished with fins” that assembled local Chinese and English-speaking celebrities and community leaders to declare that they are “FINished with shark fin.” The campaign launched in Singapore first, headed by comedian and television personality Hossan Leong as campaign ambassador for the English campaign. The Chinese campaign is headed by 16 Singapore celebrities, including popular DJ and television artist, Dasmond Koh, the Campaign Ambassador for Singapore, and Zoe Tay, one of the most recognizable faces in Singapore and beyond.

Corporate leaders asked to stop serving shark fin soup at events. The corporate campaign “We’re FINished with FINS,” asking corporate leaders to not serve shark fin soup at events, launched with the support of corporate campaign ambassador Michael Ma, who pledges his company, Indochine, is FINished with FINS.

Corporations take the pledge to be FINished with FINS. SingTel, Berjaya Hotel and Reorts, Courts Asia, Superskill Graphics, LUSH Singapore, The Lau Network, Pet Lover Centre, Asian Geogrpahic Magazines, Singapore Handicrafts and KTT Fine Wines take the pledge to never serve, consume, promote or reimburse shark fin soup.

Billboards against Shark Fin Soup go up in 80 locations throughout Singapore. Featuring one of 58 local celebrities that have signed on to the campaign, the billboards pair striking facts about the shark fin trade with each portrait, encouraging the public to be FINished with FINS.

2013
I’m FINished with FINS moves to Taiwan and Hong with support of LUSH. We partnered with LUSH to bring the largest awareness and education campaign on shark fin soup yet in Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong with events at LUSH boutiques and the sale of seaweed and sea-salt based “Shark Fin Soap”

Source: Shark Savers, Inc.
Photo: Vogue Taiwan