22-23_David Robertson.qxp_Grid 08/07/2025 16:28 Page 1
OVER THE
COUNTER
BY DAVID ROBERTSON OF JP POZZI, ELGIN AND BUCKIE
Shark Tale
Inset: Bull sharks are super adaptable, they can thrive in both salt and fresh water.
‘Duunnn dunnn… duuuunnnn duun… duuunnnnnnnn dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn dunnnn..’. Those of you who are film fans will no doubt have guessed the intro right away. It is of course the classic two note score from the maestro John Williams that is integral to the first ever summer blockbuster, Jaws, which unbelievably is celebrating its 50th anniversary! It was and still is one of my favourite films. I can remember watching it around the age of 10 and being genuinely scared. There have been lots of new documentaries, plays and even toys being released to celebrate Jaws’ golden birthday, but what I have been interested in is the amount of coverage about what are described as shark habits. Jaws was groundbreaking in its special effects with the mechanical shark (affectionately named Bruce) causing delays and frustrations during filming. It set Steven Spielberg on the path to being the biggest director of all time and Jaws was the highest grossing film in history until Star Wars was released in 1977. The film, which was based on real shark killings from 1916 has had a long-term cultural impact on how we view sharks, both as creatures as well as euphemisms for business. Sharks and business have a long history. Good/ruthless business people are often described as sharks but why is this the case? Shark investors are viewed as opportunistic and competitive, much like the predatory nature of real sharks in the ocean. They engage in high-risk strategies which 22 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
Below: This year is the 50th anniversary of the Jaws film.
Above: The US version of Dragons’ Den is called Shark Tank.
are dangerous for them but may result in great rewards. Sometimes it can almost be viewed in the UK as a bad thing as we are a little more understated than our American cousins around wealth success and how we talk about it. Shark Tank for example is the name of the American version of Dragons’ Den and the sharks in it love to fight each other for the deals in a far more aggressive and dominating manner than our UK dragons do! Americans also tend to be more optimistic and vocal about their future and that is why guys such as Walter Bond, an ex pro American Football player, and Dan John, an Olympic discus thrower both speak passionately about shark habits. To my mind, a shark acts, it doesn’t think (or overthink). How many times have you