KFC Ad In Rough Seas

Australian surfing champion Mick Fanning's fight with a huge great white shark has been hoaxed by KFC for a new advert in South Africa, sparkling harsh criticism from his family yesterday.

SURF AND TURF: The fried chicken chain's spoof of the dramatic encounter with a shark has not gone down well in Australia

The 34-year-old three-time world champion made global headlines when he dramatically escaped the shark on live television during a tour event at Jeffreys Bay in mid-July.

He survived the terrifying encounter unscathed and is now back competing.

JAWS MOMENT: In this screen grab from television footage, Australian surfer Mick Fanning paddles furiously to get away from a great white shark at the JBay Open surfing contest in Jeffreys Bay in July.
Image by: WSL/GETTY

But the fast-food chain's decision to show a lookalike re-enacting the scene, then twirling a computer-generated shark above his head as he rides the perfect wave, has not gone down well with his family.

"I think it is very disrespectful," his mother, Elizabeth Osborne, told Fairfax Media.

"They've put a lookalike in the video. It really brings back a lot of trauma for everybody who has been attacked by a shark.

"Some families have had fatalities and some people are still scarred and without limbs. It's disrespectful to them and Mick is not at all happy with that."

She added that the World Surf League was preparing to take legal action against KFC.

"Their lawyers are getting in touch with KFC to get it off [air]," she said.

Mike Middleton, KFC's local marketing manager, said the firm didn't intend to offend anyone.

Middleton said: "The advert was meant for the South African market. It was never intended for the Australian market but made it there via social media. We apologise to Mick Fanning's mom. It was not intended to upset her, but rather to celebrate this miraculous event.

"There were a lot of humorous cartoons and memes created in the week the shark attack happened. KFC just built on the existing South African humour.

"But it seems like most of Australians' comments on social media show they are relaxed about the advert," he said.

KFC Australia distanced itself from its South African counterpart, saying it was not the type of commercial the company would run.

"The advertisement has been produced in South Africa. KFC Australia is very sensitive to the situation in Australia and this is not the type of advertisement we would choose to show here," a statement.

Share Viral DotComs's Post.