# Children Zombie Killer Ads Fantastic Fest Reimagines the Zombie Genre With a Creative Commercial By Marissa Liu | Published 2009-09-22 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fantastic-fest References: [adsoftheworld](http://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/fantastic_fest_dawn_of_the_dad) & [fantasticfest](http://www.fantasticfest.com/) Fantastic Fest is a [film festival](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tuna-cans-film-festival), “with the boring parts cut out,” that takes place in Austin, Texas. The [advertising campaign](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/scary-good) for 2009’s Fantastic Fest features a short film, shown as a commercial, called, ‘Dawn of the Dad.’ The spoof on the popular [zombie genre](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fanta-sodas), specifically the cult classic ‘Dawn of the Dead’, features two children discussing the possibility of making a movie for Fantastic Fest (they settle on, “ninjas fighting the undead”). It turns out the children’s parents have been turned into flesh-eating zombies and the nonchalant kids are camped out inside the battle-ready family home. Hungry Man production company in Los Angeles produced the ad which was directed by Alex McCrae. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.6/10 - Popularity: 24% | Activity: 77% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 90% men, 10% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Media](https://www.trendhunter.com/media) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Zombie Genre Reinvention:** This advertising campaign demonstrates the trend of reimagining the zombie genre to create unique and engaging content. - **Youthful Involvement in Film Festivals:** The children's involvement in the creation of this commercial highlights a trend of including younger generations in film festival activities and campaigns. - **Creative Advertising Campaigns:** The use of a short film as a commercial showcases the trend of using creative and unconventional methods in advertising campaigns. ### Who This Affects Most - **Film Festivals:** Film festivals can capitalize on the trend of reinventing the zombie genre to attract new and diverse audiences. - **Advertising:** The advertising industry can benefit from the trend of creating immersive and engaging campaigns through innovative storytelling. - **Entertainment Production:** Production companies can explore disruptive innovation opportunities by incorporating younger participants and leveraging unconventional methods in their productions. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Villainous Pizza Crust Films](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-massacre-by-kfc.md) - [Horror-Themed QSR Short Films](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jack-in-the-box-feeding-time.md) - [Spoof Sci-Fi Beer Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/liquid-death-x-rebel-moon.md) - [Horror-Themed Phone Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/join-the-flip-side.md) - [Spooky Street Ad Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fanta-halloween-projection.md) - [Unusual Fast Food Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/believe-campaign.md) - [Horror-Inspired Sports Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/scary-good-campaign.md) - [Fashionable Zombie Dolls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/zombaes-critter-chaos.md) - [Imaginative Fantasy-Inspired Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/canva-spotlights.md)