Ryan Lochte Has the 2nd Best Sharks | Clapboard Ad Archive

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Ryan Lochte Has the 2nd Best Sharks - Shark Fest - Nat Geo WILD | Clapboard Ad Archive

Nat Geo WILD’s SharkFest campaign Ryan Lochte Has the 2nd Best Sharks brought a calculated fusion of celebrity influence and thematic entertainment to the TV and Streaming Promos market category in 2017, leaning decisively into what Clapboard’s taxonomy would classify as FORMAT#8—Ongoing Characters or Celebrities. By anchoring the campaign to Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte’s outsized persona, Nat Geo WILD sidestepped the expected jaws-and-gnashing-teeth tropes in favor of playful bravado, using Lochte’s fame and aquatic credibility to reposition SharkFest as an event with both sport and spectacle at its core. The creative leverages Lochte’s instantly recognizable catchphrase and meshes it with the pop-cultural shadow of classic shark narratives, creating a tone that is equal parts knowing wink and high-octane adventure—an approach that instantly sets the campaign apart from standard wildlife or factual promo fare. Without employing a narrative arc or overt problem/solution structure, the work builds its memorability on the contrast between Lochte’s self-aware charm and the natural ferocity of its main subject, effectively cueing audiences to join the fun rather than simply observe. This brand-meets-personality intersection is strategically amplified across Nat Geo WILD’s digital ecosystem, incorporating YouTube and major social platforms to funnel interest and drive subscription engagement, while the campaign’s two film assets sustain both sharability and cross-channel resonance. Collaboratively positioned to elevate both the SharkFest programming strand and the wider National Geographic Animals documentary promise, the work signals Nat Geo WILD’s ongoing authority as a curator of awe-inspiring wildlife content—delivering not just predatory spectacle but an accessible, human hook for general audiences and superfans alike. In bypassing technical demonstrations or explicit calls for expert knowledge, the campaign opens the shark narrative to a mainstream, entertainment-first audience, advancing the brand’s reach in an ever-more competitive streaming landscape. Clapboard rates this 63/100. For an industry in constant search of borrowed equity and fresh hooks, this campaign demonstrates that the right personality—in the right context—can make even legacy factual programming buzzworthy again.

Credits

Client

Nat Geo WILD

Production House

Superlounge

Director

Jordan Brady

Cinematographer

Mike Svitak

Sound

Moe Chamberlain

Post Production

Arsenal Creative

Motion Graphics Artist

Chris Noellert

Post Producer

Pravina Sippy

Category Mind Map

48%

The Nat Geo WILD campaign "Ryan Lochte Has the 2nd Best Sharks - SharkFest" leverages the popularity of Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte to engage audiences with shark-themed content, blending celebrity appeal with wildlife education. The brand proposition centers on offering thrilling yet informative programming that combines entertainment with nature’s raw power, positioning Nat Geo WILD as the definitive destination for viewers seeking high-quality wildlife documentaries with dynamic storytelling and visual effects. This campaign promises an exciting dive into shark behavior and biology, capitalizing on the cultural resonance of sharks while maintaining the integrity of scientific content. The market strategy hinges on a creative fusion of pop culture and wildlife education, using Ryan Lochte’s recognizable persona to create a memorable entry point into the SharkFest event. The campaign utilizes a visual effects-driven promo that parodies and references cinematic shark imagery ("JAWS"), appealing to both fans of action entertainment and nature enthusiasts. This dual appeal broadens the target audience beyond traditional wildlife viewers to include younger, mainstream viewers who may be drawn to Lochte’s celebrity and the playful tone. Distributed through YouTube and linked across social channels, the campaign taps into digital media consumption trends, aiming for shareability and engagement that drives subscriptions and deeper exploration of shark-related content. By positioning SharkFest as a comprehensive and no-nonsense showcase of shark episodes, Nat Geo WILD reinforces its authority in wildlife programming while appealing to audiences’ curiosity about one of nature’s most iconic predators.

FORMAT#8 ONGOING CHARACTERS OR CELEBRITIES — Uses a recurring personality or celebrity for brand recall. This campaign hinges on the recognizable presence of Ryan Lochte, an Olympic swimmer, to create memorable brand recall for SharkFest on Nat Geo WILD. The title “Ryan Lochte Has the 2nd Best Sharks” and the meta description’s “Jeah!” meets “JAWS” clearly spotlight Lochte’s star power and quirky persona. There is no classic narrative arc, product demo, or explicit problem/solution framing; instead, the attention centers on leveraging a celebrity’s fame and association with swimming (and perhaps playful bravado) to amplify the appeal of SharkFest as must-see “killer episodes.” This approach fits the Ongoing Characters or Celebrities format, using star presence as the campaign’s primary creative device. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Discovery Channel – Positioned as a leading factual entertainment brand, Discovery Channel focuses on immersive storytelling related to nature, science, and adventure. Its broad appeal spans educational content to high-adrenaline reality and documentary programming, leveraging strong cross-platform presence to engage diverse audiences globally. 2. Animal Planet – Specializing in wildlife and nature programming, Animal Planet differentiates itself with emotionally-driven narratives that explore animal behavior and human-animal relationships. It targets families and animal enthusiasts with accessible, family-friendly content and original series that blend education with entertainment. 3. Smithsonian Channel – Positioned as a premium source for history, science, and nature documentaries, Smithsonian Channel leverages high-quality production values and exclusive access to archives and experts. It appeals to intellectually curious audiences interested in in-depth factual content beyond mainstream entertainment. 4. BBC Earth – Known for its visually stunning nature documentaries and strong storytelling, BBC Earth emphasizes global wildlife and environmental issues with meticulous research and cinematic quality. It benefits from the BBC’s reputation for trust and educational integrity, attracting a worldwide, discerning audience. 5. Animal Planet – Specializing in wildlife and nature programming, Animal Planet focuses on delivering engaging and emotional animal stories that foster a connection between viewers and the natural world. It targets a broad audience seeking insightful yet entertaining wildlife content with a mix of reality series and documentaries.

Q: What is Ryan Lochte Has the 2nd Best Sharks - Shark Fest about? A: Ryan Lochte Has the 2nd Best Sharks - Shark Fest is a 2017 campaign created for Nat Geo WILD in the United States, targeting the TV and Streaming Promos market. The campaign centers on Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte, leveraging his celebrity status to promote SharkFest, a curated event featuring shark-themed programming. Through a dynamic film-driven approach, the campaign fuses Lochte’s playful persona with suspenseful, cinematic shark imagery to engage both wildlife enthusiasts and mainstream audiences. Distributed across YouTube and social media, the campaign aims to drive subscriptions and position Nat Geo WILD as a leading destination for thrilling and informative wildlife content. Q: What creative device does Ryan Lochte Has the 2nd Best Sharks - Shark Fest use? A: Ryan Lochte Has the 2nd Best Sharks - Shark Fest employs the Ongoing Characters or Celebrities format, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy (FORMAT#8). This approach centers the campaign around a recurring personality—in this case, Ryan Lochte—to create immediate brand recall and audience engagement. Rather than relying on a traditional narrative or product demonstration, the campaign uses Lochte’s fame, swimming credentials, and signature catchphrase to inject humor and pop culture relevance into the SharkFest event, making the content more accessible and memorable for viewers. Q: What is the campaign proposition for Ryan Lochte Has the 2nd Best Sharks - Shark Fest? A: The campaign proposition for Ryan Lochte Has the 2nd Best Sharks - Shark Fest is to blend celebrity appeal with wildlife education, positioning Nat Geo WILD as the definitive source for thrilling, high-quality shark programming. By featuring Ryan Lochte, the campaign seeks to attract both dedicated wildlife viewers and a broader, younger audience drawn to pop culture and action entertainment. The messaging promises an exciting, informative dive into shark behavior and biology, reinforcing Nat Geo WILD’s commitment to delivering visually dynamic and scientifically credible content that stands out in the competitive media landscape. Q: How does Ryan Lochte Has the 2nd Best Sharks - Shark Fest rank in Clapboard's archive? A: Ryan Lochte Has the 2nd Best Sharks - Shark Fest holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. Q: Who are the competitors in Nat Geo WILD's category? A: In the wildlife and factual entertainment sector, Nat Geo WILD competes with Discovery Channel, which commands a broad audience through immersive nature and science storytelling, and Animal Planet, known for emotionally-driven animal narratives that appeal to families and enthusiasts. Smithsonian Channel offers premium, in-depth documentaries with a focus on history and science, targeting intellectually curious viewers, while BBC Earth distinguishes itself with visually stunning, meticulously researched wildlife programming that attracts a global, discerning audience. These competitors each bring distinct editorial voices and content strategies to the evolving landscape of wildlife media.