Greenpeace. Not known for sutble campaigns.

On Monday, October 22nd, Greenpeace launched a horror spoof of the John West In the Woods TVC. It gets its message across.

The parody is a re-edit of the BWM campaign. New footage of animal carnage has been inserted. If the BWM TVC was dramatic, this new version is horrific. Clearly, that was the intention.

“Australians love tuna, but people are horrified when the real cost of John West’s tuna is revealed,” said Greenpeace ocean campaigner, Nathaniel Pelle. “10% of John West’s catch is made up of endangered sharks, baby tuna and turtles,” said Pelle.

“These marine creatures are killed because the company continues to use outdated and destructive fishing methods.” The added footage is designed to etch into Australian brains the needless and sometimes gruesome capture and killing of sea creatures caught by fish aggregating devices (FAD) and hauled aboard industrial tuna fishing vessels. Fishing with FADs and giant nets is indiscriminate. At least 10% of each haul is 'bycatch,' such as baby tuna, sharks and turtles.

Pelle recounts that BWM lead creative, Ant Shannon, admitted in the launch media release, “the success of John West has been largely built on the mythology of their selection process.”

“BWM is absolutely right,” observed Pelle, “John West’s selection policy has to be based on mythology, because when Australians know the truth about what died for a can of their tuna, they’ll put another brand in their shopping trolley. Our spoof shows the reality of their destructive fishing and will help people to make more sustainable choices.”

“Australian brand Safcol has already switched to sustainable methods. Other major brands, Greenseas and Sirena, are following suit, but John West has refused to change,” said Pelle.

“In the UK, all tuna brands, including John West, committed long ago, at very little extra cost to the consumer.” The spoof is part of a broader global Greenpeace campaign globally to end destructive fishing.