# Shark Sighting Hoaxes The Shark in Lake Ontario Video is Only a Prankvertisement for Shark Week By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2014-07-17 | Unique Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shark-in-lake-ontario References: [thestar](http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/07/16/lake_ontario_shark_video_turns_out_to_be_a_hoax.html) & [torontosun](http://www.torontosun.com/2014/07/16/shark-spotted-in-lake-ontario) With news of a shark in Lake Ontario, everybody is freaking out, just as intended for this [Discovery](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sharkey-temple) Channel Shark Week campaign. Even though it's totally impossible to find a bull shark off the coast off of Canada's Wolfe Island, as [YouTube's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-hacksmith) "Fisher86" did, it still generated tons of questions and concerns. Like any good video of a creature sighting, the video is shaky and it's hard to really be sure if what you're looking at is a shark, but there is a very distinct gray fin that's not very dolphin-like. The video has been confirmed a hoax and in a statement by Discovery, reiterating that "Discovery wants to quell the concerns of Canadians everywhere and reveal that the widely-circulated video of a [shark swimming in Lake Ontario](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/canadian-seafood-delivery-service) is, in fact, not a real shark," but you have to admit it probably does get you amped and maybe a little scared for Shark Week. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.5/10 - Popularity: 41% | Activity: 87% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Unique](https://www.trendhunter.com/unique) > [Pranks](https://www.trendhunter.com/pranks) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Prankvertising:** Creating hoax videos to generate attention and engagement for marketing campaigns. - **Viral Hoaxes:** Deliberately spreading fake information to capture public interest and generate buzz. - **Controversial Marketing:** Using provocative and misleading tactics to attract attention to a brand or product. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Advertising:** Opportunities for brands to create innovative and attention-grabbing campaigns through disruptive marketing techniques. - **Social Media:** The potential for viral hoaxes to take advantage of the viral nature of social media platforms to gain widespread attention. - **Entertainment:** Using controversial marketing tactics to generate excitement and engagement in the entertainment industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Theatrical Shark Drinks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sharkey-temple.md) - [Shark-Celebrating Cookies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sugar-shark-cookies.md) - [Gummy Shark-Garnished Lemonades](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shark-bait-lemonade.md) - [Satirical Destination Marketing Videos](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/switzerland-is-fake.md) - [Real Life Mermaid Spottings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chicken-of-the-sea.md) - [Shark Attack-Themed Drinks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shark-bite-creme-freeze.md) - [Shark-Themed Dirty Sodas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ziggis-coffee-bad-bruce.md) - [Cheeky Ocean-Renaming Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/canadien-ocean.md) - [Aquatic Shark-Inspired Drones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/waterborne-drone.md)