Thailand – WildAid Thailand and BBDO Bangkok have introduced “Team Shark”, a campaign designed to channel growing online scrutiny over shark fin consumption into a broader movement for shark conservation.
In Thailand, shark fin soup remains associated with wealth, status, and celebration and is commonly served at special occasions and shared on social media. At the same time, rising awareness of marine conservation has led to increased public criticism when shark fin consumption is posted online.
Built on the view that social pressure can influence behaviour faster than regulation, the campaign seeks to harness online judgement as a driver for reducing shark fin consumption.
Rather than attempting to create a new movement, WildAid builds on existing online behaviour, where users already comment on and question shark fin consumption when it appears on social platforms. These dispersed acts of scrutiny are brought together under #TeamShark, forming a collective effort aimed at encouraging public advocacy for shark conservation.
The campaign centres on a film that mirrors familiar social media dynamics. It depicts a family posting a shark fin meal online, expecting positive reactions, only for the post to be met with comments from #TeamShark members. Instead of expert commentary or environmental data, the narrative unfolds through user-style responses. Each comment highlights different impacts of shark fin consumption, including damage to marine ecosystems, disruption of food chains, and declining shark populations in Thai waters.
By using the comment section as the primary storytelling device, the film reframes a common online interaction into an educational format. It positions social media users not only as observers of social pressure but also as participants in it. Viewers are then invited to join #TeamShark and continue the conversation online.
The campaign aims to show how collective public sentiment can shape behaviour alongside, or ahead of, formal regulation. It also seeks to contribute to making shark fin consumption less socially acceptable over time, encouraging reconsideration of the practice.
“Team Shark” positions online scrutiny as a potential driver of behavioural change, suggesting that coordinated social media voices can influence attitudes toward shark conservation.
