A couple of weeks ago, I was driving to work and I heard an ad on the radio that the day marked the beginning of Shark Week.

Actually, I didn’t really pay attention to the ad; I’m sure I was flipping stations. But a few minutes later I heard THE BEST Shark Week PR.

I have no idea if Discovery Channel actually sent this to the radio stations. If they did, it seriously is the best PR ever.

There are 20 things that are more likely to kill you than sharks.

Are you ready?

  1. Obesity. Obesity kills 30,000 people every year.
  2. Lightning.Lightning kills 10,000 people every year.
  3. Texting. Texting kills 6,000 people every year.
  4. Hippos. Hippos kill 2,900 people every year.
  5. Airplanes. Airplanes kill 1,200 people every year.
  6. Volcanoes. Volcanoes kill 845 people every year.
  7. Autoerotic asphyxiation. Autoerotic asphyxiation (please don’t ask me to tell you what this is) kills 600 people every year.
  8. Shopping. Shopping on Black Friday kills 550 people every year (crazy freaking women).
  9. Falling. Falling out of bed kills 450 people every year.
  10. Bathtubs. Bathtubs kill 340 people every year.
  11. Deer. Deer kill 130 people every year.
  12. Icicles. Icicles kill 100 people every year…but only in Russia. No place else.
  13. Hot dogs. Hot dogs kill 70 people every year.
  14. Tornadoes. Tornadoes kill 60 people every year.
  15. Jellyfish. Jellyfish kill 40 people every year.
  16. Dogs. Dogs kill 30 people every year…but only in the United States.
  17. Ants. Ants kill 30 people every year. I believe this one because I’m deathly allergic to insect bites/stings…and fire ants sting.
  18. Football. High school football kills 20 people every year.
  19. Vending machines. Vending machines kill 13 people every year. Dead. Serious.
  20. Roller coasters. Roller coasters kill six people every year.

And sharks? Well, sharks kill only five people every year. And, according to the Discovery Channel, they’re always provoked by humans.

JAWS did poor sharks a serious injustice. This was very much needed PR. Respect.

Gini Dietrich

Gini Dietrich is the founder, CEO, and author of Spin Sucks, host of the Spin Sucks podcast, and author of Spin Sucks (the book). She is the creator of the PESO Model and has crafted a certification for it in partnership with Syracuse University. She has run and grown an agency for the past 15 years. She is co-author of Marketing in the Round, co-host of Inside PR, and co-host of The Agency Leadership podcast.

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