The zombie apocalypse is sort of code for the collapse of society. With the economy, unfunded liabilities (social security, welfare, medicare etc.) and all the difficulties in the world, many people are expecting at a major economic collapse. I think that is spurring a lot of the zombie stuff these days.
I kinda like the new ammo. I was gonna get some zombie 00 buck so the kid can back me up on the yote stand gun)(he can miss with the rifle now ). The zombie thing would just be an added bonus to his imagination.