Channel 4's gory new campaign puts Gen Z on the menu in time for Halloween

Just when you thought Halloween couldn't get any spookier, Channel 4's in-house agency, 4Creative, is stirring up a gruesome feast to promote Generation Z, a darkly comic horror series from Ben Wheatley. Set in the fictional, dead-end town of Dambury, the show twists the classic zombie apocalypse by flipping the script: this time, it's just the Boomers who become the flesh-hungry undead—not the young.

Playing on the cultural tensions between the generations, Generation Z turns the tables as infected elderly residents start preying on the town's youth, sparking a hilariously horrific intergenerational war. The new campaign—aptly titled Generation Z: You're on the Menu—serves up a mix of frightening and tongue-in-cheek content that brings the show's premise to life.

The launch features a conceptual trailer with familiar faces like Sue Johnston and Lewis Gribben in a twisted dinner setting, alongside an extensive outdoor campaign, influencer stunts, and plenty of social content to feast on. The OOH posters depict cast members with pimple-stickered faces and earbuds, all arranged on vintage plates with crocheted doilies, creating a retro-chic horror vibe.

The culinary carnage continues on social media, where Fred Sirieix promotes 'Flesh Kitchen', a fictitious meal kit service promising Gen Z cuisine—literally. As if that wasn't enough, Snapchat users can engage with a bespoke lens that turns their heads into tasty treats for the elderly undead.

Wait, there's more. On 30 October and 31 October, London's Westfield shopping centre will host a specially built interactive billboard where passersby will find their heads as "the dish of the day" for ravenous Boomer zombies. This unique display brings the show's horror-comedy theme into the real world, quite literally putting audiences on the menu.

Channel 4's digital youth brand, 4.0, is also getting in on the action. Influencer Chloe Burrows is pulling off a prank that sees her mum co-host a fake documentary about a rising trend of 'ethical zombies'. The episode, launching on YouTube on Monday, is just another way the campaign extends the show's storyline across platforms, inviting younger audiences to get involved.

Director Ben Wheatley describes Generation Z as "in that world of horror but also a disaster movie, setting up the characters and how they deal with the approaching catastrophe that's happened outside the town of Dambury". He adds, "It's got echoes of Covid, echoes of the classic zombie genre, of The Crazies and Threads and all sorts of things. I was excited about structuring it around multiple generations so there would be different perspectives that would interact within the story."

Wheatley initially envisioned a story involving three generations—Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Z—but explains that the concept evolved: "It was structured so there'd be two gangs that would slowly come towards each other." He also emphasises the importance of keeping it balanced: "We wanted to give the boomer group a voice so it wasn't demonising them, and as the show goes on, you see all these different positions to take which aren't immediately obvious at the outset."

Andy Vasey and Dan Warner, creative directors at 4Creative, shared their thoughts on the playful yet gory concept: "You don't get too many briefs for zombie dramas about the generational divide in contemporary Britain. Flesh-eating baby boomers with a taste for teenagers inspired a simple message for a younger audience. In this outlandishly gory show, if you're Gen Z, you're on the menu."

Nic Moran, head of marketing at Channel 4, added: "We are serving up Gen Z in a playful and memorable way as we introduce a new breed of zombie to our audience. The interactive elements of the campaign enable viewers to put themselves on the menu, and the social influencer activity and Gen Z flesh recipe boxes make this a timely Halloween treat!"

Generation Z premieres on Channel 4 on Sunday, with Channel 4+ subscribers already streaming the series via channel4.com.