N.H. Lottery Revives SNL 'Land Shark' Skit From 1975

Just yesterday, I was hanging around the water cooler with my work chums, riffing on Saturday Night Live’s “Land Shark” sketch.

Of course I wasn’t! That’s a skit from the show’s infancy in 1975, spoofing the original Jaws, a massive cultural phenomenon at the time.

Sure, there are retro GIFs here and there; and with the internet, nothing ever really dies. Even so, the bit—about a rubberized Great White chomping people in their homes—is hardly a trending topic these days. It feels out of context entirely in 2023.

Adland loves nostalgia. But agencies and brands usually lean into better-known references.

Anyway, the New Hampshire Lottery revived “Land Shark” in an ad that harpoons a new tax law in neighboring Massachusetts (and its impact on potential winnings).

The accent’s on Baaahston, with enough local color to make Ben Affleck blush.

Shaaaahk! I won the lottery, I can buy a new caaaaah!

What an odd mishmash, designed to remind us Bay Staters that lottery winnings in N.H. are exempt from state taxes. So, why not cross the border and buy some scratch-offs today? Pissaaaah!

It probably works as well as the original segment. The utter stupidity and fake fins should to some viewers (especially those of a certain vintage), while others will just scratch their heads.

“While the original SNL skit is 50 years old, the underlying comedic ‘surprise’ element plays well with the idea of a new tax,” says Andrew Harris, creative director at agency GYK Antler, which developed the campaign. “Between that and ‘sharks’ being a fixture in Massachusetts during the summer, we believe the spot resonates, whether the viewer was aware of the original skit or not.”

As someone once said, it’s always something.

CREDITS 

Client: New Hampshire Lottery

Agency: GYK Antler

Andrew Harris – Creative Director
J.R. Roach – Associate Creative Director, Copy 

Izzy Ciano – Art Director

Jeff Newman – Group Account Director
Taylor Bengtson – Senior Account Executive
Cassie Watson McElaney – Design Director

Tim North – Junior Copywriter 
Judith Kaplan – Integrated Media Director

Lisa Fallon – Senior Buyer
Barbara McCaffrey – Senior Project Manager

Production: Big Brick Productions

Matt Doyle – Director / Executive Producer
Tyler York – Director of Production
Lisa Neville – Producer
Josh Drake – Senior Editor 
Sammy Honeywell – Assistant Video Editor
Tara Pavoni – Production Designer
Big Nazo – Shark Fabrication