The Walking Dead Rotting Finger Countdown
AMC Networks
Issue 30 | March 2014
Agency
Leo Burnett, Toronto
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officer Judy John Creative Director Judy John Lisa Greenberg Group Creative Director Morgan Kurchak Copywriter Frank Macera Art Director Jonathan Guy Andrew Hart
Production Team
Agency Producer Franca Piacente David Eades Production Company Family Style Designer/Props Performance Solutions Prop Builder Carl Troughton Makeup Artist Complections College of Makeup Art & Design Lisa Slonetsky Katie Eckenswiller Gail Roberts
Other Credits
Account Director David Kennedy Account Supervisor Jeremy Farncomb
Date
February 2013
Background
The Walking Dead, one of AMC's most popular TV shows, was set in a world overrun by zombies. To get people excited about its return on February 10th, the Rotting Finger Countdown was created.
Idea
A sculpture of "zombie hands" was built in Toronto's Union Station. Every day leading up to February 10th, one finger was hacked off the hands, counting down the days to the return of the show.
At certain times of day, when the station was busiest, commuters could grab Walking Dead tee-shirts which were placed almost within the reach of "walkers" (the show's name for zombies) who were chained to the installation.
During the countdown people were asked to Tweet pictures of themselves in front of the hands using #TWDfeb10 for a chance to win one of the severed fingers.
RESULTS
900,000+ unpaid media impressions in Toronto.
18.1 million Twitter impressions.
Our Thoughts
Choosing just 40 campaigns for Directory has not been easy. But who could resist a campaign called “Rotting Fingers Countdown”?
I passed through Union Station myself last year. A sort of wannabe Grand Central. And this would certainly have livened the place up.
Frankly, there is nothing wrong, nothing wrong at all with frightening a few children.
To get the full explanation of the campaign and how fans and zombies engaged with each other, go to: http://vimeo.com/61270551.
For me, the winning part of the idea is the chance to own one of the huge severed fingers. It reminds me of the time I found a fake severed leg in a London skip when I was out walking the dog. I gave it to her to carry home. We got some interesting looks.