A pack of zombies that attempted to attack any who happened to be gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC were turned back by members of the US Park Police – not due to effective anti-zombie training or weaponry, but due to the fact that the zombies neglected to get a permit. They were acting on behalf of basic cable programmer AMC, to promote the network’s upcoming 10/31/10 kickoff of “The Walking Dead.”
According to Washington Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes, the zombies, numbering about two dozen, showed up at the Memorial at about 7AM. Although they had alerted the police to their plans, they were lacking a permit and politely allowed themselves to be turned away.
They turned their attention instead on portions of Washington DC not under the jurisdiction of the Park Police, including fertile ground near the Foggy Bottom Metro station, serving George Washington University, home of a major target demo for the program. And a subsequent visit to the Farragut North station, one of the prime consumer outlets in the entire city (it serves lobbyist haven K Street NW and Connecticut Avenue and is just blocks from the White House) was said to generate a great deal of citizen journalism activity which AMC no doubt hopes will generate free viral promotion on various internet venues.
RBR-TVBR observation: You know something? This is a superb idea. Digital technology has made the US a nation of photojournalists and videojournalists, and social networks encourage sharing of the same. If your station is getting ready to do something special, a compelling surprise event is an outstanding way to generate some buzz.
