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Berkshire Hathaway
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Shark's fin advert was offensive

THE article 'Ad leaves Amex in deep water' (Sunday Morning Post, March 5) highlights yet another example of short-sighted advertising by large, multi-national companies.

Equally offensive, however, is the response given by American Express in response to criticism of the advert. Its claim that 'the emphasis of this advertisement is on dining at quality restaurants, which figures as a popular pastime in Hong Kong, while demonstrating American Express card members are warmly welcome at all establishments that accept the card', is offensive and evasive.

The possibility of an apology to those who may have been offended by the advert was probably never considered.

To use the shark aquarium at Ocean Park, intended 'to promote the conservation of sharks', in an advertisement which promotes a practice that causes their torture and destruction, is reprehensible. To those concerned parties mentioned in the article, may I recommend the following: To Ogilvy and Mather, accept your responsibility for this misadventure.

To Doreen Davies of the RSPCA, forward this article to your offices in Britain for consideration by your American Express card-carrying members.

To American Express, if the only point of the advert was to associate good dining with the Amex card, accept a mistake was made and issue an apology. A temporary retraction of the advert, while standing by its merits (and its budget), is hypocritical and cynical when Amex has such a 'long-standing commitment to worldwide conservation' and spends vast sums of money to 'help causes like preserving marine life in Palau, Micronesia'.

SHANNON BAIRD Central APPLAUSE to the Sunday Morning Post for the article about the cruelty involved in the shark's fin trade. For the parties concerned, and all restaurant customers and owners, the hope for a better tomorrow lies partly in correcting, not repeating, the errors of past generations.

JANE L. CHU Redhill Peninsula THE protest made by animal welfare groups is much ado about nothing. Shark's fin has been a speciality in our culinary history. People from other cultures may not be able to appreciate how enjoyable it is. To describe something you don't enjoy as 'cruel and disgusting' is grossly irresponsible. Cruelty is hard to define, especially in the context that man inevitably has to live on animals in one way or another.

DANNY LAM New Territories

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