The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is investigating a viral video promoting AMC’s popular show “The Walking Dead”after the network placed”zombies” under a New York City subway grate to frighten the living daylights out of pedestrians.
The video shows actors dressed as zombies growling and grasping at the ankles of passersby near Union Square.
The resulting video has gone as viral as the show’s fictional zombie plague, with over 3.1 million views on YouTube since Wednesday.
Though a wild success from a marketing standpoint, it could come back to bite AMC as the MTA investigates the circumstances of the network’s commercial shoot.
“We are deeply troubled by this video,” an MTA spokesman said. “We have forwarded it to the NYPD and are also conducting our own investigation.”
A spokesperson for AMC said the investigation was the result of a “misunderstanding.”
“We had all of the appropriate approvals from the city,” said Marnie Black, AMC’ssenior vice president of public relations.
No official complaint has been filed, police said.
Follow Emily Johnson on Twitter @emilyjreports
