Vampires have existed in the folklore of cultures around the world for thousands of years. They have haunted the psyches of all types of people, from the smallest children to the elderly, and come in many forms – and yet, they’re not actually real. Belonging to the same family as creatures like werewolves, Bigfoot and mermaids, vampires are imaginary creatures that have somehow found themselves so ingrained into the folklore of society that they have their very own mythology and, in many cultures, are treated with such knowledge and accuracy that it’s almost as if they do exist. Typically, vampires are undead beings that survive solely by drinking human blood who can only be killed via certain methods. They are allergic to sunlight, don’t have a reflection and, somewhat bizarrely, really despise the scent of garlic. These ‘facts’ are ones that will be familiar to many people, and yet they describe a creature that, in reality, doesn’t exist. However, that doesn’t mean that they can’t exist in our imaginations and, with increasing frequency in current times, our media. Although vampires have always cropped up every now and then in popular culture, from horror novels to movies, they appear to be enjoying a revival at the moment with the immense popularity of books like Twilight and shows such as True Blood. The late 90s television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer also went a long way in popularising vampires, but it seems to be only now that these folkloric beings have been fully exposed to the limelight. Stephanie Meyer’s blend of mysterious creatures of the night and teen romance in Twilight captured the imaginations of children the world over and the resulting movies have seen immensely high ratings at the cinema box office, with fan obsession skyrocketing to rival the likes of Harry Potter. Alongside this book and movie series is the less child-friendly television show, True Blood, which details a time where vampires are struggling for the same human rights as the living locals in a small Louisiana town. In the cinema, vampire films are something of a fixture: the Underworld series starring Kate Beckinsale showed vampires in a more gruesome light and the recent Daybreakers aims to do the same – a far cry from the soft-spoken vampire in the Twilight films. Thankfully, the differing ways in which vampires are treated in film, TV and on paper means there’s something for everyone to enjoy when they pick up a novel or switch on their Sky TV – just make sure you stock up on garlic before getting too involved! Paul Buchanan writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.