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One wouldn't automatically think that "Mad Men" and "The Walking Dead" would share a huge fan base. One's a show about lethal moves in the business world; the other is simply about the undead.



But "The Walking Dead" will feature a shout-out to Don Draper and the Sterling Cooper crowd when it airs its season finale this Sunday. As Rick & Co try to fend off the walkers, the network will showcase a new teaser spot for "Mad Men" that riffs on the "Dead." (You can watch it above.) The spot follows a promo during last week's "Walking Dead" episode in which a "Dead"-like voiceover jokily alludes to a small group struggling to survive (the ad agency staffers) and one man (Draper) keeping them safe.



Though relatively quick, the new "Men"-centric spot offers a visual ode to the "Dead"--think rising and walking--as well as borrowing its musical theme. "Zombies are back," the ad pronounces, riffing on "Mad Men's" larger campaign about everything else --Draper, envy, adultery--being back when the drama's fifth season kicks off March 25.



There's a reason why AMC is using "Walking Dead" as a "Mad Men" marketing platform." The Jon Hamm series is looking to maintain its strong fourth-season ratings as it ramps back up again after a 17-month layoff. "Walking Dead" offers a good weapon--it's a large audience, and it's a young audience.



Do executives worry that those who follow the genre series aren't necessarily concerned with the exploits of the '60s smoking set? "'Walking Dead' has a passionate audience base and 'Mad Men' has a passionate audience base," AMC senior vice-president of marketing Linda Schupack told Show Tracker. "And both of them care about great character drama."

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--Steven Zeitchik

twitter.com/ZeitchikLAT