# Zombie Preparation Campaigns The Westlake Ace Hardware Graph Helps the Living and Undead Survive By Meghan Young | Published 2011-11-02 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/westlake-ace-hardware References: [ibelieveinadv](http://www.ibelieveinadv.com/2011/11/westlake-hardware-zombie-preparedness/) & [westlakehardware](http://www.westlakehardware.com/) Zombies are everywhere, in the streets, in television shows and now in ads such as this Westlake Ace Hardware campaign. The graph presented shows how this hardware store would prepare its customers for the worst case scenarios. Conceived and executed by Omaha-based ad agency Bozell, the Westlake Ace Hardware ad campaign is clever and captivating. With [Halloween just past](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pretzelface-campaign), The Walking Dead series back on air and [zombie walks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/scary-good-campaign) taking place all over the world, the undead appears to be a [prominent theme in contemporary pop culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/heineken-meet-the-chillers). For those who are in a playful mood or who actually take zombies seriously, the Westlake Ace Hardware ad campaign is the perfect guide to preparing for a visit from the undead. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.7/10 - Popularity: 73% | Activity: 89% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Print](https://www.trendhunter.com/print) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Rise of Zombie Pop Culture:** Opportunities for businesses in entertainment, merchandise, and themed events to capitalize on the popularity of zombies and create engaging experiences. - **Preparation and Survival:** Businesses in the emergency preparedness industry can innovate and provide products/services that help people prepare for worst-case scenarios, including zombie apocalypses. - **Creative Advertising Campaigns:** Opportunities for advertising agencies and brands to use unconventional and innovative approaches, such as using zombies, to capture audience attention and create memorable campaigns. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Entertainment:** The entertainment industry can leverage the zombie theme to create movies, TV shows, video games, and other media that cater to the fascination with zombies. - **Emergency Preparedness:** The emergency preparedness industry can develop innovative products and services, such as zombie survival kits or training programs, to help people be prepared for various disasters. - **Advertising:** The advertising industry can embrace creative and out-of-the-box approaches, like the Westlake Ace Hardware campaign, to capture consumer attention and create impactful campaigns. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Halloween Essentials Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/halloween-essentials.md) - [After-Dark Pizza Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/market-street-halloween-pizza.md) - [Horror-Themed Phone Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/join-the-flip-side.md) - [Witty Toy-Brand Horror Posters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/horror-poster.md) - [Spooky Street Ad Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fanta-halloween-projection.md) - [Anthropomorphic Store Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/short-social-films.md) - [Nightmarish Mobile Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cellphone-bill.md) - [Horror-Inspired Sports Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/scary-good-campaign.md) - [Spooky Cider Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/brothers-cider-campaign.md)