Zombies are the truest form of anti-hero. Out of all the mythical monsters from our imagination they are the least redeemable. Vampires and werewolves maintain a level of humanness that caters to our empathy. Frankenstein was nothing more than a misunderstood bastard child. Even ghosts are tortured souls of people that received a raw deal while they were still alive.
But Zombies are something a little different. They with their broken and flimsy bodies don’t even qualify as a villain. They could be better described as a plague or disease. How then, if at all do they fit into advertising? Because of the nature of Zombies – rotting flesh, without conscious and singular in desire (BraAAAainss!), they can be a parody that fits into our pop culture by making fun of it.
This Sears commercial illustrates our laziness and our mindless consumerism.
This political twist on Zombies no doubt points to Obama as a Zombie figure head and attempts to speak to his leadership.
“Without knowing you can be dying. High cholesterol injures your heart.” This heart association add buys into the Zombie craze.
Honda uses humor to humanize the Zombie protagonist even more by showing him off in his new ride!
Honda isn’t the only car company getting in on the act, Toyota lets us know they are the car of choice for the future zombie invasion.
Love em or hate em, it looks like they are creeping around every corner and moaning their way into all areas of our pop culture. Zombies making zombies are hoping they not only go for your brains, but advertisers hope they pull at your heartstrings as well.
(c) David Cole
A few that were sent to me after this post:
Starburst VS the “living dead”
I also, am a Cornpops Zombie…
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