Why you totally should let your Gen Zs write your brand's marketing scripts

"We let our Gen Z intern write the marketing script," said Mandai Wildlife Reserve in its latest social media video. The video then went on to feature Suresh and Joseph, two (seemingly reluctant) millennials on the River Wonders team, reading out a hilarious script at different locations in the park. 

"Hey besties, POV, you are at River Wonders," Suresh says.

"Perfect for your brat summer," adds Joseph with a deadpan look on his face. 

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The pair then go on to talk about how the animals are sitting very demure and mindful and how some of them "go so hard".

Suresh even says at one point: 

Our manatees ate and left no crumbs

The video was incredibly well-received with commenters saying that the script writers should get a raise and that they would like to visit the park solely because of the video. 

Having Gen Z staff members and interns write the marketing scripts for brand videos is a growing trend on social media and has been adopted by many local and international brands such as Design Orchard, the Royal Armories Museum, JBL Singapore, HM Beauty and more. 

According to social media players MARKETING-INTERACTIVE spoke to, this trend is an interesting way for brands who don’t consider themselves young and trendy to hop on TikTok and tap into their cringe until it becomes clever.

"This trend is perfect for smaller, lesser-known brands, as bigger and more established brands tend to receive criticism in the comments section," explained Sunny Johar, managing director and head of digital strategy at KRDS.

"Additionally, accounts that represent destinations and are using this trend to playfully promote them typically tend to receive more positive engagement than organisations that use this trend to sell products," she said. 

She added that for small businesses owned or managed by older staff, this could be a great opportunity for visibility and brand building.

"Larger, established brands that employ a majority of older staff, especially in frontline services such as public transport, may also consider utilising this as a way to humanise their brand and put deserving employees in front of the spotlight," she said. 

Saying that, Johar said that the power of this trend really lies with the individuals chosen to actually enact the trend.

"Whilst this trend started off being fronted by older small businesses owners that genuinely looked far removed from Gen Z slang, today several versions of this trend feature much younger individuals, TikTok creators and even big brands - which definitely doesn’t hit the same," she said. 

Adding on to her point, Kimberley Olsen, co-founder of digital creative agency, Yatta Workshop explained that brands should jump on the trend only if they are not afraid to take themselves too seriously and if their brand fits the vibe. 

"I’ve seen the Mandai Wildlife Reserve edition, and I’d say it was a hit. On the flip side, if you’re a bank or insurance company with a serious, corporate persona, it might be best to sit this one out, especially if this type of approach or tone of voice isn’t in your playbook," she said, adding:

Financial jargon could really kill the vibe—can you picture a banker saying, 'It’s giving low-interest rates'?

How to eat and leave no crumbs while jumping on the trend

According to Kimberley Olsen, the first rule is simply to not be the "cringe uncle at the wedding". 

"If you’re using Gen Z slang, make sure it doesn’t sound like you’re reading from a textbook or prompting ChatGPT to give you a list of hottest Gen Z slang and their meanings, then trying to desperately craft something out of it for the sake of trying to be on trend," she said. 

She added that the magic comes from the irony of older employees or just your typical expressionless everyday characters reacting to Gen Z lingo while delivering it with that hilariously unimpressed vibe.

"Just remember, some slang is like fine wine, it has a history. If you stray into cultural appropriation, you might as well be sipping sour milk. So, stay aware and respectful of the language’s roots while having a laugh," she said. 

True enough, Kristian Olsen, founder and managing director at Type A explained that too many brands nowadays are focused on trend-jacking so much that they forget about the importance of their own content. 

"Stop jumping on trends just for the sake of it because we all have seen how it crumbles when you force it," he said. He added:

You want to be in on the joke – not the butt of it.

Kristian Olsen went on to say that any brand that’s willing to embrace being a little informal and offbeat would benefit the most from this trend.

"But that being said, I think it could work with more of the so-called ‘rigid’ brands or entities that aren’t afraid to bend the rules a little here and there," he said. 

He added that this could create deeper engagement for brands and help them get noticed by a younger audience. "It could break down the corporate facade a little, making so-called rigid brands come across a little more approachable, relatable and less intimidating," he said. 

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