• by Aaron Baar , October 2, 2015

When the zombie apocalypse hits, there may be mass panic and hoarding of food, water and weapons, but small businesses will be sure to carry on. 

PostNet, a chain of business centers that provide printing, shipping, graphic design and marketing services for small businesses and consumers, this month is launching a comprehensive business survival guide for the zombie apocalypse. The campaign, which includes videos, downloadable tips, savings promotion and a sweepstakes, will run through October.

“We’re introducing a ground-breaking, fully functional e-commerce and marketing services delivery model,” Rachel Reynolds, PostNet’s marketing director, tells Marketing Daily. “We were looking for a fun and interesting way to [showcase] that idea among our consumers.”

All of the campaign’s elements will be hosted at www.beatzombies.com. Among them are a series of videos chronicling the developing apocalypse. The videos begin with a news report from the “American Disease Organization,” telling of an outbreak of some kind in the Northeast U.S. As the videos progress, reporters on the street are accosted by the undead, while anchors encourage consumers to buy local from small businesses and offering tips about how business can continue operations. Final reports depict reporters hiding in basements with small business owners, who are still able to conduct business thanks to PostNet.

“The earmark of a great marketing campaign is when we can entertain our prospective customers while communicating [our message],” Reynold says. 

In addition to the videos, the site includes a “Small Business Zombie Survival Guide” (with tips such as “Remain Calm” and “Prioritize”), and a “Zombie Identification Guide.” The site also includes a sweepstakes to win a trip to London to fight Zombies at Oakham Prison in Leicester, England.

The company will use national radio advertising to promote the site, along with social media and branded “zombie survival kits,” Reynolds says.