Sage Advice, but Not Viral Marketing

Lots of you have pointed us to this - a highway roadside sign in Austin, Texas, warning of ZOMBIES AHEAD. Is this viral marketing for Resident Evil 5? I checked with a source at Capcom.

Answer: "99100 percent sure it is not." This kind of thing would have to go through Capcom HQ in Tokyo, and assuming the suits there could be convinced of such an idea, the fact it's also illegal would probably prevent it from even getting to that stage.

In a nutshell, last week some wit hacked into a roadside construction sign and programmed it to say "Caution! Zombies Ahead!" and advise motorists to seek cold climates. Funny, except this person broke a lock and then changed the password so that the sign kept cycling, requiring the manufacturer to reset it. That's vandalism, and the po-po ain't laughing.

Considering back in 2007 some viral marketers made the Boston cops and Homeland Security crap their britches over a couple Mooninites rendered in Lite Brite, I'd say any viral marketing that comes close to violating a law, even a class C misdemeanor, definitely wouldn't have any corporation's seal of approval on it. That said, I'm sure Capcom is appreciative of the residual publicity.

Besides, who's to say the zombies aren't in fact real. Midway did close a studio there.

Caution: Zombies Ahead [Poshdeluxe]
Austin Road Sign Warns Motorists of Zombies [Dallas Morning News]