CDC Zombie warning

Last week, the Center for Disease Control issues a special alert. Rear Admiral Ali S. Khan, MD, head of the CDC's Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response released a statement that said in part: “The rise of zombies in pop culture has given credence to the idea that a zombie apocalypse could happen. In such a scenario zombies would take over entire countries, roaming city streets eating anything living that got in their way. The proliferation of this idea has led many people to wonder "How do I prepare for a zombie apocalypse?"” He then included recommendations about standard disaster procedures and planning including standard disaster procedures like keeping water and bleach on hand, and planning a family meeting place if a disaster hits. According to Atlantic Magazine, “the zombie warning was the brainchild of Dave Daigle, who heads communications for the CDC's preparedness department, which has a $1.4 billion budget this year and is responsible for addressing public-health concerns in the wake of major disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes.”

In some ways, I think this is about social networking. No, I was not expecting the spread of internet rumors through Facebook and twitter that there is a conspiracy to keep the people from finding out that a Zombie infestation is at hand. No, I think that this is a nod to that group of people, those 17-34 year olds, who love zombies, play zombies on college campuses and watch zombie movies. Getting people to prepare for a disaster is probably next to impossible in this country unless there is a disaster happening at the present time like the recent tornados in the mid west. Heck, we can barely get people to get flu vaccines when a particularly bad strain is upon us. I’m sure you remember the stories that went on about duct tape and plastic wrapping houses when there was some vague threat about airborne terrorist attacks. So in the middle of the spring, when flooding is happening all over, when tornados are seemingly striking each day, and hurricane season is on the doorstep, the CDC recognizes the effect of viral marketing and social networking and does a very creative thing.

Does it work you ask? Well, there probably is no way of ever knowing totally but even if just a handful of Americans are better prepared for a disaster because they were scared of zombie apocalypse, then I guess you have to say yes. What did it cost the CDC? Very little I guess. Just some time for a creative writer to put the vision into a press release. The social networking machine does the rest.

Finally a government agency that demonstrates creative, forward thinking, ideas out of the box to get helpful, constructive ideas out to the masses. Why you think they were some mega-ad agency rather than the government…