Zombie Outrun: 5K Chase Race
Run for your life, and have a laugh while doing it! The Zombie Outrun is a unique 5K race with equally unique branding.
Eat or Be Eaten!
There’s nothing quite like the anticipation at the start of a race. You are surrounded by all those people… stampeding you. What’s the rush? Oh! Everyone’s trying to get away from that massive hoard of zombies coming after us. That makes sense. It‘s the Zombie Outrun: 5K Chase Race – an peculiar fundraising event where participants can sign up to race as “survivors” or “zombies.”
The Zombie Outrun: 5K Chase Race is an atypical fundraising event where runners can sign up to race as “zombies” or “victims.” Its host, Greenville County First Steps, brought me in to do the naming and identity for the zombie 5K event materials.
Running for Your Lives in a Zombie Run
Guts, Gore, and Glory!
The undead had their time to shine as the city of Simpsonville, SC played host to the 5K Zombie Outrun. Runners were provided with a flag belt to represent their lives, while the zombies were on the loose trying to take those flags and maybe even some brains for dessert! Runners were to navigate an off road, zombie-filled obstacle course, complete with hay bale pyramids, hurdles and other tight spaces. But don’t worry, this event was un-timed, so the goal was simply to finish the run with at least one life intact. To make the experience even better, runners, zombies, and spectators alike were encouraged to dress up and the organizers even provided “zombie training” to ensure everyone had a memorable experience. It was truly a run for your life!
Zombie Outrun Event Poster
Bringing Life to the Undead
Embracing Bold Branding
The Zombie Outrun logo and branding is the perfect representation of the event: a stark, bold, and gritty logo covered in red to capture the horror movie inspired race. The red color choice is also a great choice to emphasize the danger and fear associated with zombie. The mark itself is a stark silhouette of a runner and a raggedy zombie in chase—with the runner just out of reach to suggest he’s within the zombie’s grasp.
Finding the perfect balance between depicting what the event is and establishing a unique, “ownable” name, the name “Zombie Outrun“ captures the premise and leaves no room for doubt with its emphasis on the participant‘s fight to “outrun“ the zombie volunteers. To create a more sinister atmosphere, there are scratches and splatter marks all around the logo. They help depict an energetic, yet frightening atmosphere for the race.
Zombie Outrun Event Billboard
Pushing Boundaries and Reaping Rewards
Thrill of the Chase
By transforming the traditional running event into a zombie–themed run complete with a unique logo and gritty graphic art, we were able to create an unforgettable experience that attracted both families as well as passionate runners. We knew it was a risky gamble to make something as “scary“ or “weird“ as a zombie run, but the gamble paid off, as the event not only drew in more participants, but also raised more funds for the charity. This event was not only a success in terms of participation and fundraising, but it also offered a unique experience that people will not soon forget.
