Brett Banter

Correct me if I’m wrong, but most people don’t consider traffic signs particularly newsworthy items. Unless, of course, they’re linked to zombies, which is exactly the case in Cobb County, GA, where their signs have made national headlines. Traffic signs now warn Marietta residents of possible delays due to zombie activity over the next few months. What the signs don’t tell you is that the zombies are filming the second season of A&E’s Emmy-nominated series, The Walking Dead, on location in the Atlanta metro area. But actors or not, as the signs would have it, the zombie apocalypse has arrived.

The Georgia zombies are just the latest manifestation of a trend that predates our other cultural fascination with the supernatural, vampires. Zombies have been a cultural staple since at least the late 1960s, when several classic horror films featuring zombies were released (Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead), but really picked up momentum in the early-to-mid 2000’s, when Dawn of the Dead was both remade and parodied. Since then, we’ve had a cult fascination with the undead version of ourselves. So how have zombies managed to sustain this social craze, even outcooling vampires? Isn’t Twilight still the trendiest teenage fad? Well, yes and no. Twilight may be a pop culture staple, but then by definition it can’t be a trend. Once something assimilates into the mainstream, the way vampires did as blockbuster movies stars, it loses the avant-garde qualities that made it trendy in the first place. Zombies may make headlines, but they do so because they’re still only embraced by a smaller cult following. They’re still weird to most people, so they’re attention-grabbing when they disrupt the lives of most people, as in Georgia.

Trends such as zombies are more than just fun (or strange, depending on your perception); they’re also unusual, but highly effective, public relations tools. Take the Centers for Disease Control’s recent release of a zombie apocalypse survival guide as an example. Although some firm believers may have taken the CDC seriously, the agency used zombies as a marketing scheme for their emergency preparedness campaign, encouraging people to have safety kits and family meeting spots for all emergencies, whatever they may be. Or take Zombie Walks, where groups of people in various cities will dress up and walk the city as zombies for a day, often to raise money for charity. These odd promotions work because they’re trendy; popular enough to be familiar, but unique enough to be intriguing. Whether you’re a zombie or a professional, that’s the combination you’re looking for – something that’s both relatable and eye-catching to the public. Once you’ve captured them, you know you can easily promote your message. Or eat them. Whichever you prefer.