US cable network AMC has partnered with drinks brand Mountain Dew  for the promotion of The Walking Deads eighth season, which starts on 22 October – including an Augmented Reality app for iOS and Android.

The Walking Dead Encounter, as the app is called, uses AR to drop the shows zombies – known as walkers – into real world environments. Users can create pictures or videos of themselves with the walkers, to share on social media.

Bonus content, in the form of extra walker models, can be unlocked by scanning Walking Dead-branded Mountain Dew packaging in stores or TV commercials for Mountain Dew that air during the show.

“We are always looking to form partnerships that will deliver one-of-a-kind experiences to Dew Nation,” said Chauncey Hamlett, senior director of marketing for Mountain Dew. “By partnering with AMC and the incredibly successful The Walking Dead series, we’re bringing together two of the most passionate fan bases in the country.”

“This is a meaningful first-of-its-kind partnership for ‘The Walking Dead,’ but most exciting of all is that the fans are at the center of it,” said Scott Collins, president of ad sales for AMC Networks. “With our partners at Mountain Dew, we’ve built something that includes extensive visibility for our series, closely aligned with their product, and the AR app merges the real world, the world of the show and a popular beverage in an incredibly powerful and shareable way.”