From the title of this blog, you are probably about to ask me, “what could someone possibly learn about marketing from watching horror movies?” And the answer is: surprisingly a lot.

The thing about movies — of any genre — is that, if you look past the surface-level plotlines, you often find motifs, metaphors or morals that can easily be applied to any part of life. Horror movies are no different. However, given that the genre may be what some consider to be an “acquired taste,” many people miss out on the fun ways that horror movies can connect to pretty much anything you want them to. In this case, that includes the marketing industry.

So, as a year-round horror fan (who also happens to be part of the marketing industry), I am here to give you a few examples of marketing tips from the horror genre.

Take advantage of trends, but try to make them your own

In the age of social media, the concept of trends and the desire to go “viral” is something that companies have been learning to capitalize on. When a dance, song or challenge is trending, it is not uncommon for thousands of people to jump on the bandwagon during the height of its popularity.

“Trends” also exist within media, though they are more often referred to as “tropes” — every genre has their own set.

When it comes to the horror genre, one trope has never seemed to lose popularity: zombies. Since their onscreen debut in 1932, zombies have been the textbook example of “viral,” both literally and figuratively, making hundreds, if not thousands, of appearances in movies. With so many iterations — so many “strains,” if you will — you may ask yourself, “how have we not gotten bored of these guys yet?”

The answer is quite simple: no two movies raise the undead in the same way.

In movies like Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, zombies are slow and lumbering. In others, like World War Z and Train to Busan, they are terrifyingly fast. In some movies, it takes days for someone to turn into a zombie while in others, it happens in seconds. Every take on the zombie film stands out in its own way, ensuring the survival of the “trend” (though not always the characters).

When it comes to marketing, taking advantage of current trends and being memorable are not mutually exclusive. The videos that truly go viral are the ones that differ from the majority in some way, while still remaining recognizable as being part of a specific trend. Virality often comes when people add a new spin to familiarity.

Trends and tropes both exist for a reason: they consistently get an audience. If you can find a way to get that audience looking at you, do it.

Know your audience

When it comes to marketing campaigns, one size does not always fit all. One of the most important things when working in marketing is knowing who your target audience is. Once you figure that out, you can tailor your campaigns to appeal to those specific demographics.

The horror genre is known for playing off people’s fears, both in-universe and in real life.

In-universe, the most effective antagonists in horror movies are ones who use their targets’ fears against them. In movies like Nightmare on Elm Street and IT, Freddy Krueger and Pennywise terrify the films’ protagonists with personalized dreams/visions meant specifically for them.

In real life, horror movie creators often use society’s fears to create a concept that extends outside the fictional realm and into the audience. Movies from the 50s like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Them! used America’s fear of a hidden threat from Communists, while more current ones like M3GAN and I Am Mother explore the concept of AI-gone-deadly.

When movie characters have to face something that is not just “scary,” but rather something from their exact nightmares, it creates a more terrifying fight for survival. When we as the audience can relate closely to the object of fear in a movie, it creates a more impactful viewing experience.

In marketing, the most effective campaigns are the ones that know who they are trying to reach, whether that is people within a specific age range, cultural demographic or even just people who all have the same hobby. The more personal something feels, the more likely someone is to interact with it.

Never underestimate word of mouth

Marketing campaigns can be executed in a multitude of ways: radio ads, televised commercials, billboard signs, social media posts; it’s a list that could go on and on. However, there is one way that often seems to be overlooked: word of mouth.

In horror movies like Candyman and The Ring, the antagonists are supernatural forces based on urban legend, whose killings cannot start without our protagonists — or the ill-fated unnamed character who dies a few minutes in — doing something, such as saying a name or playing a tape. Because they seem so reliant on outside factors, you would think that it would be simple to put an end to these figures’ rampages, right? Wrong.

It is not as simple as it sounds, because even if our main protagonists manage to defeat the antagonists’ physical forms, they can never manage to defeat the stories that keep them “alive.” People in those universes will continue to tell scary stories to their friends, daring them to do whatever actions correspond with the legends.

With marketing, the idea is relatively the same: if you can get people talking about whatever it is you are marketing, they will tell their friends who will tell their friends and on and on until everyone is talking about your story, product or service, even long after your ads have finished running.

A perfect example of this exact phenomenon can be found in horror marketing.

In the late 1990s, in what is still considered to be one of the best movie marketing campaigns, the team behind The Blair Witch Project brought the legend of the movie's unseen antagonist into the real world through fake testimonials, missing posters of the cast, articles, journals and links spread in chatrooms on the still-nascent internet.

In the months leading up to the movie’s release, the team was able to generate so much anticipation that, by the time its theatrical run ended, The Blair Witch Project grossed over 4,000 times its original budget — just from getting people talking. Today, 27 years later, people still rave about The Blair Witch Project’s marketing.

Truthfully, this article could keep going. As someone who watches at least one horror movie a week, I have a surplus of horror-based marketing tips stored up.

Good Boy: trust your instincts, Heart Eyes: consistency is not predictability, Scream: keep an eye on your competitors, The Menu: not everything has to be over-the-top and overcomplicated; the list goes on.

The horror genre will always be something of an “acquired taste,” so if this post is the closest you will likely ever get to delving into the horror genre, remember horror movies may be scary, but the marketing industry does not have to be.

Like other large cities, one foundational pillar of Atlanta’s infrastructure is the public transportation system: Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority or MARTA. As Atlanta heads into a busy and event-filled soccer-focused summer, MARTA is working to complete key projects to enhance rider safety and improve operational reliability.

MARTA is a year-round necessity for many businesses within the Metro Atlanta area, including us here at c21. It gives employees with longer commutes a faster, safer, more sustainable and more accessible way to get to work — one that doesn’t involve idling in traffic for hours or driving while they (or others around them) might still be waking up.

Over the past few years, MARTA has been steadily working through updates to ensure a quality experience for daily commuters, casual riders and visitors – with the updates scheduled for completion before mid-June. Here are a few:

“Better Breeze” Fare Cards

MARTA is completely re-vamping its reloadable “Breeze Cards”— switching to a new system, complete with new fare gates, new machines, new payment options and a new app.

The most notable feature of this change is that commuters will have the ability to pay for their MARTA fare with their mobile wallets and/or bank cards using tap-to-pay, rather than needing to buy a physical ticket or pre-loaded Breeze Card.

This is expected to be especially beneficial for international travelers, making it easier for them to access public transit.

Station Upgrades

In addition, MARTA has been updating its rail stations to make them more welcoming, including MARTA’s busiest station - Five Points Station, which is the central transfer point for all four rail lines.

The upgrades to Five Points Station — which include new lighting, better pedestrian access, public art installations and expanded public space — are expected to be completed by summer 2026.

New Trains

Currently, MARTA’s rail cars are 40 years old and are responsible for more than 50% of the system’s delays. The multi-year, multi-million-dollar solution: 56 brand new trains.

The custom-designed train cars have been completely reimagined to include external lights on the train faces to clearly indicate the line, a significantly opened floorplan — with more space for standing-room, disability accommodation and strollers/bikes/scooters, as well as better sight lines for security. The cars will also include electronic and digital features like real-time maps and charging stations.

While the entire fleet is not projected to be fully operational until as far as 2029, several trains are slated to be ready and running this upcoming June. 

The goal for these multi-area improvements to MARTA is not just to improve the system’s functionality, but also to improve riders’ experience. For Atlanta’s workers, MARTA offers an alternative way to get to work and avoid the hassle of rush hour traffic. For its visitors, an easier and safer way to experience the metro area and the ability to explore all the city has to offer in business, leisure and entertainment.

As we move into the summer, we’ll have to wait and see how all these updates and upgrades unfold.

By: Sloan Salinas, intern

During the second semester of my freshman year of college, I decided to try my hand at writing for the entertainment section of the Georgia Tech student-run newspaper, The Technique.

You might wonder why an engineering major might take such a leap. I desperately missed writing things that weren’t lab reports, so when someone offered me the chance to write about the music and media that I liked, I jumped at the opportunity — which then resulted in my (shocking) change in major later on.

I proceeded to spend the next three and a half years as a contributor, then the official staff writer, before eventually becoming the assistant entertainment editor for The Technique. During that time, I was fortunate to have opportunities that I couldn’t have imagined — opportunities that taught me lessons that not only helped me throughout college but have carried over into my life after graduation.

Some of those lessons are:

You don’t have to prove anything to anyone else

As a young reporter, I had no shortage of “should I really be here?” moments. There were times when I was the only student journalist at an event or the only female photographer in the pit. Then there were times when I was the youngest and the only woman in the room.

At the beginning, I couldn’t help but feel like I had to prove that I belonged there alongside reporters who were much more seasoned. But as I gained experience and started to feel more comfortable in a variety of industry settings (and learned how to look like it, even when I didn’t), I also learned how to accept that it didn’t matter if I was a minority in the room because I got into the room just the same as everyone else.

Realizing that I didn’t have to prove my capability to anyone, and that I should be able to feel confident in my abilities, was something that didn’t just impact me internally; it was also visible in the way I carried myself and interacted with people at events and interviews.

Preparedness is crucial, but so is a level head

As a photographer, preparedness meant making sure both camera battery packs were charged the night before a show and that the SD cards had space on them. It also meant looking up the venue beforehand to make sure I knew where to park and where to meet my contact.

Similarly, as an interviewer, preparedness meant researching whoever I was going to be talking with and reading their past interviews to make sure I wasn’t wasting any time on previously answered questions. It also meant deciding which of my planned questions were most important in case my time was cut short.

At the same time, it’s important not to get so obsessive about planning that preparedness turns into anxiety. Learning to balance the two is a skill that doesn’t just apply to the journalism world but the world in general, whether regarding a job or a phone call with a friend.

Expect last-minute changes

While being prepared is a must, being able to pivot is also essential. Adaptability at a moment’s notice was something I learned primarily from interviewing high-profile subjects. When working with musicians, performers, actors and directors, you learn quickly that their schedule — and yours, by default — can change on a dime.

The details of the first interview I ever conducted, the lead singer of a band while on tour in Atlanta, weren’t confirmed until I was standing in the line for the show. Then, those details were changed later — just minutes before the band went onstage.

From a venue’s box office losing a photo pass, to an actor’s schedule suddenly changing, to a band’s crappy cell service interfering with an over-the-phone interview, or a PR agency sending a new address less than an hour before an event, I had my fair share of experiences where adaptability and flexibility were absolutely necessary — but that’s show biz for you!

As someone who doesn’t like last-minute changes, this part of the job was never particularly enjoyable, but having no choice but to accept and roll with such changes, while still retaining professional composure, turned out to be a most valuable skill.

Don’t be afraid to ask for things you want

Entertainment journalism is not a career for the timid — being bold is often a requirement in order to advance. When covering concerts, there were times where we’d get an invitation from the artist, but other times, the onus was on me to ask my editor to put in a request for media credentials for the shows that I wanted to cover. While I started small, eventually I started requesting bigger artists in larger venues. I told myself that the worst they could say was, “No” (which happened a fair number of times), but nothing truly “bad” would happen if they did.

At the beginning of my college career, I had never even considered writing for a newspaper as something I would do. Now, I can look back and say that my life would not be the same if not for it.

I read many mom stories on social media about women quitting their job before the 3-month mark because they couldn’t stomach the thought of leaving their baby (LOL not me!) and I almost felt guilty in a sense because I didn’t feel the same way. Of course, I didn’t want to leave her, but my reticence was mostly because I was now used to a more leisurely routine. Alongside the fear was curiosity — and even eagerness. I couldn’t wait to step back into my career and discover what this new version of my life would look like. A corporate baddie boss mom. Mamacita (Love Islanders, you know). That title was meant for me!

Before becoming a mom, I thought I understood balance. I traveled for leisure, managed responsibilities and even balanced life as a proud dog mom. But motherhood (with a real person) changes the equation. Now it’s travel, babysitters, deadlines, diapers, feeding schedules, maintaining a clean home, nurturing a relationship and still showing up fully in every room I enter. It is a lot, but so exciting!

This Women’s History Month, I’ve been reflecting on what it truly means when we say women can “do it all.” It doesn’t mean we do everything perfectly or that we never feel tired or overwhelmed. It means we rise to the occasion. We adapt. We evolve. We stretch beyond what we thought were our limits and most times shock ourselves.

History is filled with women who broke barriers in boardrooms, laboratories, classrooms and communities. But there’s also power in everyday history being written right now — in living rooms, at daycare drop-offs, at late-night networking events and in early morning meetings.

Returning to work as a new mom has shown me something profound: I am capable of more than I ever imagined. Motherhood didn’t diminish my ambition — it sharpened it. It didn’t weaken my drive — it deepened it. I move differently now, with greater purpose and perspective.

I’m also incredibly grateful to work for a company that truly supports its people through every phase of life. A four-day work week and flexible work-from-home options have made this transition gentler, allowing me to show up fully — both at work and at home — with a little more peace of mind. That kind of support makes a real difference, and I am grateful for communications 21.

As Michelle Obama writes in Becoming, “For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self.” Right now, I’m embracing that forward motion — evolving as a leader, a mother and the woman I’m still becoming.

Women can do it all. Not because it’s easy — but because we are resilient, resourceful and relentless when we set our minds to something. This season of life is stretching me. It’s teaching me. It’s empowering me in ways I didn’t expect. And yes, I am tired. But I also know this season won’t last forever.

What I do know is that I have never felt stronger or more determined to show my daughter what it looks like to build a career, chase big goals and still show up fully as a mom. To show her what a hardworking, ambitious, unapologetic woman looks like. Her grandma did it. And I’m proud to continue that legacy.

By Shayla Strange, Senior Account Manager – communications 21

c21 kicked off Q1 2025 with a bang! From planning impactful events to capturing and creating unforgettable content for ongoing marketing efforts, the energy hasn’t slowed down - and we’re just getting started. Here's a look at what we’ve been up to so far this year:

CCID Akers Mill Ramp Ribbon-Cutting

When Cumberland Community Improvement District celebrated the opening of the new I-75 Express Lane access ramp at Akers Mill Road, c21 was behind the scenes making a ribbon-cutting event happen, from planning and logistics to signage, décor, name badges, a car-themed Spotify playlist and vendor coordination, every detail mattered.

Despite a surprise snowstorm forcing a same-day move from outdoor to indoor, the event was a seamless success, marking a huge milestone in metro Atlanta’s transportation infrastructure.

GPCID 77th Annual Dinner – Honoring Joe Allen

After the event, I pulled together a recap video with Sharon’s footage, which was shared across KDC’s platforms to highlight their presence and insights from industry leaders. If you’re ever debating having your marketing team onsite, we highly recommend it because it means that you can focus on making valuable connections while we handle the rest.

Marsy’s Law for Georgia Advisory Board Luncheon

Thomasville Cemetery Clean-Up – Metro South CID

On March 12, Metro South Community Improvement District led a transformative clean-up of the long-abandoned, 150-year-old Thomasville Cemetery, and c21 was honored to plan the initiative.

From logistics and media outreach to social and newsletter content, we helped bring attention to this historic site, which includes burial grounds for formerly enslaved individuals. With the support of Yellowstone Landscape and local leaders like DeKalb County Commissioners Ted Terry and Nicole Massiah, the event drew community members and media coverage—earning coverage on stations with over a million radio listeners, 900,000+ TV impressions and 370,000 online views.

True North 400 Encore Greenway Park Groundbreaking

March 20 marked the groundbreaking of the Encore Greenway Park and Gateway in Alpharetta, another key step in connecting North Fulton’s trail systems. We partnered with True North 400 to handle catering, signage, set-up and all the finishing touches that made this milestone event a success.

Once complete, the park will link the Alpha Loop to Big Creek Greenway, enhancing accessibility and recreation for residents and visitors alike.

Gateway85 CID – Launch Pad Tech Event

Also on March 20 (it was a busy day!), Gateway85 Community Improvement District hosted the Launch Pad Tech Collaboration Event, connecting innovators and thought leaders from organizations like Flock Safety, Georgia Tech, Curiosity Lab and more.

c21 took the lead on media relations, logistics, staging and on-brand details like custom name tags. The result? We garnered coverage in online and print publications with more than four million impressions, 35 media mentions with major news outlets such as Atlanta News First, Fox 5 News and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and a television audience of 81,000. This incredible event positioned Gateway85 CID at the center of Georgia’s growing tech scene.

Marsy’s Law + Paint Love + Redbud Blossom = One Powerful Mural

On March 29, our amazing VP Frances Chang brought together Marsy’s Law for Georgia, Paint Love and Redbud Blossom Family Justice Center for a powerful mural reveal.

This collaborative art project, debuting just ahead of Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, symbolizes hope, peace and healing for survivors. From media outreach to day-of coordination, c21 made sure this meaningful event got the attention it deserved from local television and print media. It was truly a wonderful event we were proud to be part of and proud of Frances for having the vision to bring it to life.

From event strategy to social media and press outreach, c21 thrives on creating magic behind the scenes. Whether it’s a high-profile groundbreaking or a community mural, we’re all about making moments meaningful and making our clients shine.

If you are ever in need of a marketing team to make your next event unforgettable, c21 is ready to collaborate. Stay tuned on our social media and newsletters to keep up with what’s next for us. c21 out.

It is 2025 and corporations are walking back their DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) policies because the current administration has mandated it. I won’t get into the specific politics of it all, but I do want to address or refute the argument that DEI isn’t a merit-based system and why it matters in marketing. For context, racial segregation legally ended in 1964, women were legally granted the right to vote in 1920 and gay marriage became legal in all 50 states in 2015. It has taken only 100 years out of the 249 that the United States of America has been an independent country for everyone existing here to have equal rights in the eyes of the law.

Diversity

The definition of diversity is the practice of involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds, including different genders, sexual orientations, etc. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the racial breakdown of U.S. residents is: 58% Caucasian, 13% Black, 19% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 1% Indigenous and 3% mixed or other. Records show that 50.9% of the U.S. population is female, 49.1% is male — and somewhere within the mix, 9.3% identify as LGBTQ+ and 1% identify as transgender. Finally, 28.7% of the U.S. population have recorded some type of disability. All of these facts and statistics show that this country is not a homogenous clump, but in fact, an amalgamation of populations with different perspectives, backgrounds, upbringings, experiences and needs.

The purpose of marketing is to attract consumers through branding and messaging. The best way to target consumers is to communicate with them — and the best way to communicate with them is to relate to them. This is why representation in marketing matters. Consumers trust what they can see, hear and experience, especially if someone sees themselves represented within a brand or its messaging. Commerce is all about brand loyalty — and the key to building brand loyalty is through diverse representation.

Equity

Equity is defined as being fair and impartial, especially in the way people are treated. Our own Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all [mankind] are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Now, what these words mean — equity and the pursuit of happiness — is that the opportunity exists equally. Free will, talent and circumstance all factor into what individuals make of their opportunities.

Stadium seating in venues is a great example of equity. While there are various price points depending on the seat’s proximity to the stage or field, the seats further away are raised so that spectators further back still have the opportunity to see. Equity is appealing to a broad spectrum of consumers and providing them the choice to purchase products or services within their comfort.

Inclusion

To tie everything together, inclusion is the practice of providing equal access for opportunities and resources to marginalized people who might otherwise be excluded. I think we can all agree that inclusion is common sense, since purposefully excluding anyone or any groups would essentially be bullying or discrimination. Even the perception of being an outlier can be harmful to one’s mental health.

To continue with the stadium seating analogy, venues with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) seating are being inclusive to those with sight, hearing or mobility impairments. By providing reserved or custom seating, those experiencing specific difficulty are equally able to partake and enjoy the same entertainment as everyone else. Core memories are built on experiences, and marketing is a tool for companies to help build those core memories for their customers.

Summary

To circle back to the meritocracy argument - having DEI policies isn’t about favoring one race, one gender or one identity over another, it’s about presenting a fair playing field for everyone and letting them put their best self forward, letting their qualifications, disposition, personality and vibe take the stage. Each individual is then able to make the best choice possible that is best suited to them. Diversity, equity and inclusion policies work to remove the barriers that years of discrimination have made innate in corporate culture. When a third of the workforce reports that they believe being a Caucasian man makes it easier to be successful, this reinforces that not all have equal footing. This country is comprised of many different people, cultures, ages, body types and points of view — representation does indeed matter.

As a woman of color, who represents 3.9% of the U.S. population, I am not here and writing this as a DEI statistic, I am really good at my job drafting content, creating graphics, editing videos, placing media, coordinating memorable events and forming relationships with and for my clients. My background, my upbringing and my experiences make me who I am and informs my point of view when ideating concepts to meet my clients’ needs. Our office is better for it along with the contributions of my colleagues, who are comprised of women, people of color, various ages, differing religions and varying identities. We are all better for it because we are the voices of our clients as well as their audience.

DEI matters in marketing because the audience will always be a moving target and an organization’s message will miss every time if it doesn’t “read the room,” adapt, attract or appeal. Diversity, equity and inclusion isn’t just common sense, it is good business sense.

By Carter Brown, Director – communications 21

Taylor Swift is no stranger to being in the public eye - or in the public’s crosshairs. Her support of NFL star Travis Kelce has fans Enchanted, but it’s also reignited a troubling (and annoying) trend: the unnecessary scrutiny and hostility that women in the spotlight face. Case in point: When Taylor made an appearance at the Super Bowl, she was met with boos and an avalanche of online criticism. Why? Because apparently, simply existing as a successful woman is still a controversial act.

This latest wave of backlash feels like a page out of the same old playbook - one that reserves its harshest critiques for women (check out this Nike ad from 2019). And while Taylor’s been Shaking It Off for years, the bigger issue here is how public criticism of women continues to rise, especially as they break barriers or Speak Now in ways that make some people uncomfortable.

For PR pros and marketers, this is more than a pop culture blip. It’s a masterclass in modern reputation management, audience loyalty and how the public still loves to put powerful women under a microscope (because God forbid, they have an opinion).

1. Own Your Reputation Like a Pro

Taylor Swift is an expert in reputation management. Despite the noise (and there’s always noise), she stays true to her brand: authenticity and relatability. For marketers, the takeaway is clear: don’t let the boos drown out your message. Address criticism head-on when needed but stay focused on your core values and the audience that loves you for them.

2. Turn Your Anti-Hero Moment Into a Story

Taylor doesn’t just endure criticism; she uses it to make art (I’m the problem, it’s me). Brands can do the same by flipping negativity into storytelling gold. Use moments of scrutiny to connect with your audience on a deeper level. Show them the human side of your brand and they’ll stay loyal through thick and thin.

3. Call Out The Man

Here’s the deal: the double standard is real. And as marketers, we have the power to challenge outdated narratives instead of feeding them. Taylor Swift’s Super Bowl booing isn’t just a pop culture moment; it’s a reflection of a society that still doesn’t know how to handle powerful, outspoken women. In our campaigns, let’s be bold enough to call out these biases and create messaging that uplifts and empowers instead of reinforcing tired stereotypes.

In the end, Taylor Swift’s ability to handle public scrutiny is nothing short of genius (dare we say, a Mastermind). For companies and organizations, her journey offers a roadmap for navigating criticism, turning challenges into opportunities and staying true to who you are. Because as Taylor’s career has proven, when you own your narrative, the people who matter will stay loyal.

So, the next time the boos come rolling in, ask yourself: WWTD? (What Would Taylor Do?) Answer: She’d keep it moving, and so should your brand.