1. It takes a group of specialists to survive.

When living in the zombie-land, it’s all about the people in your group. You rely on them to get things done and to watch your back. You need them to survive and to stay sane as the world quickly slips into something you no longer recognize (more on this later). But the group needs to be more than a random collection of survivors. You need specialists that can use their expertise to benefit the group’s chances of making it out alive of the many sticky situations you’re bound to encounter. The same can be said for PR. With the ever-expanding definition of the industry, PR teams need to be increasingly versatile in order to stay relevant and competitive. Below is my comparative hit-list of must-have group members.

• ZA: Fearless Leader | PR: Fearless Leader – This is the only role that stays the same in terms of title. Both have to make calculated and gut-decisions that’ll affect their group or team. Only, the PR leader’s decisions will be a little more communications focused and less “should we explore this creepy, abandoned house for supplies” focused.
• ZA: Hunters/Gatherers | PR: New Biz Ninjas – The group’s gotta eat, just like the team needs new revenue streams. Thus, it’s important to have individuals that are skilled in acquiring what the collective needs to survive and grow. No matter if it’s raiding the grocery store in the next town over or landing that first meeting with a potential client.
• ZA: Risk Takers | PR: Creatives – I’ll argue that for the most part, everyone in a zombie survival group needs to be a risk taker, just like all PR pros should need to be creative in how they approach their work. However, a group can only benefit from a few stand-out (but smart) risk takers/creatives. They’re the individuals that are willing to go where others are hesitant to go. To try new things. To blaze new paths.
• ZA: Zombie Killers | PR: Media Relations Experts – Let’s not kid ourselves. The bread and butter of what needs to be done in a ZA is killing zombies. Sure you can run away from them, but sooner or later, you’re going to have to step up and get your hands dirty. And it helps to have someone that’s especially good at it. Same goes for PR. Media relations is still what PR is primarily about, and having experts on your team is a must if you’re going to keep on delivering results.
• ZA: MacGyvers | PR: The Digital and Tech-Savvy – In a ZA, how you utilize your available tools and surroundings can mean the difference between life and death. And having one or more MacGyvers can help you do just that. The digital and tech world are equally reliant on tools, but also on things like syntax, interfaces and platforms. Having people on your PR team who know this sometimes complicated subject matter can only improve your chances at producing leading-edge work.
• ZA: Realist | PR: Account Manager – Oftentimes, realists get mistaken for pessimists. This is wrong. Realists help keep groups safe and in-line in a ZA, because they act as the voices of reason. The devil’s advocates. After all, you  need someone to tell everyone else that splitting up is not a good idea, regardless of how much more extra ground can be covered. A realist is similar to a PR account manager, in that they have their clients’ best interests in mind and aim to keep counsel and client work grounded and realistic.

2. Expect the unexpected.

In a ZA, you never know what to expect. A simple wrong turn or opening of a door could result a confrontation with a ravenous zombie that’s ready to eat your brains. Or perhaps a rival, less friendly group that’s waiting to ambush you for your precious supplies. It’s not so different in today’s fast-paced, competitive PR landscape. If you work at an agency, you’ve probably been in a situation where a competitor has come in and pitched some or all of your business. Or perhaps a situation where a client has decided to cut your budget in half. These types of turn of events are hard to predict, so it’s best to preempt by committing to innovation and delivering the best work possible at all times. Be alert, continually improve and keep your guard up so that you’re ready to pounce on new opportunities. Proactivity is key, regardless if it means elevating deliverables or never forgetting to pack your trusty ice pick.

3. New World. New Rules.

Everything you were taught about how the world and society works no longer applies. That’s how it is in a ZA. Beliefs need to be reevaluated. Rules need to be rewritten. And guess what, this applies to the modern world of PR as well. The industry is changing rapidly, with traditionally non-PR focuses like digital, social, design and advertising quickly being combined with PR to form a new breed of integrated marketing/communications. PR pros are waking up to find themselves in a marketing environment that’s centered on engagement and storytelling. If a ZA hits, it’s up to the survivors to re-establish the rules to best fit their new situation. It’s up to PR pros to do the same for approach and best practices in this new era of communications.

4. Getting bitten is bad. Don’t get bitten.

Whatever you do, don’t get bitten. Doesn’t matter who you talk to and how much they know about zombies, it’s universally known that a bite from a zombie means that you’ll eventually be joining the ranks of the undead. Bites spread the virus (or curse) of ‘zombiedom’ throughout you body, sealing your fate. And this unfortunate process not only affects you, it affects everyone in your group. Negative online virality is the equivalent to a zombie bite in today’s digital world. Because of social media, news travels at incredible speeds. Fortunately for PR teams, there are more measures they can take to handle bites than their ZA counterparts. Training for advanced reputation management and crisis communications is critical and I recommend it to every PR team. It’ll help you to not only react strategically to a crisis, but also proactively protect yourself and your clients from being the victim of the next viral catastrophe.

5. Diversified zombie killing skills are good. Look into it.

Like I mentioned earlier, killing zombies in a ZA is pretty much unavoidable. And the people who usually survive are the ones that are willing to explore new ways to dispatch those nasty flesh-eaters. Because chances are, there’s going to be a time when your weapon of choice, say your trusty rifle, jams or runs out of ammo…leaving you in a pretty tight spot. This concept applies to PR as well. Although it’s always important to provide an area of expertise to your team, there’s going to be occasions where a diversified skill-set can get you out of a bind, or perhaps allow you give additional insight. It only benefits your team if you specialize in more than one concentration. I see it this way: what’s better than being a deadeye gunslinger that never misses? A deadeye gunslinger, samurai sword master that never misses. That’s what.

6. Positivity is key.

Hope and optimism can be hard to come by in a ZA. It’s not surprising since survivors are constant dinner menu items for the world’s new dominant inhabitants. That said, thinking positively about the future can bind zombie survivors together and prevent them from giving up on their effort of creating a new world. This positive thinking is just as essential for the PR industry. It’s still rough out there because of the downturn and businesses across many industries are still feeling the crunch. PR doesn’t escape the ripple effect of this. Thus, I encourage you to promote positivity and optimism, as they can help keep you motivated to continue to innovate your craft and provide you with new ways to not only help your team to survive, but to thrive.

So what do you think? Anymore zombie comparisons to add? Let us know in the comments!

Image courtesy of JD Hancock.