How Zoos & Aquariums Are Going Viral with “Gen Z” Script on Social Media

The "Gen Z wrote my script" trend is still gaining momentum across cultural institutions, and honestly, we’re living for it. What started as a TikTok meme has evolved into museums, zoos and aquariums worldwide giving their social media managers permission to drop every “slay,” “rizz,” and “bussin” term they’ve got.

From cute baby turtles being called "smol" to actual goats claiming “‘GOAT” status, these social media posts are driving above average engagement for the zoos and aquariums that hop on the bandwagon.. Let’s dive into how some of your fave spots for animals and sea creatures are bringing that Gen Z energy to the forefront!

South Carolina Aquarium

South Carolina Aquarium nailed it with their viral “Gen Z wrote our script” campaign, describing their seaside view as the ultimate "This and Yap" spot! 🗣️ 

This new campaign has allowed the Aquarium to gather almost 1,000 likes in less than a week, at a speed much higher than that of its regular posts, which gather traction over an usually longer period of time. 

Tennessee Aquarium

Tennessee Aquarium took this term to the next level when they introduced their smol recently hatched turtles. 🌱 They’re tiny, they’re precious and we’re all screaming, “SO SMOL!” Don’t miss these baby turtle vibes!

As of early October, this TikTok video has received 138,000+ views, 29,000+ likes, and 7,100+ shares/reposts, making it one of Tennessee Aquarium’s most best performing videos in recent history.

Shedd Aquarium

Shedd Aquarium totally embraced this by announcing they’re in their Amazon Rising Era, showcasing their epic Amazonian terrarium filled with reptiles (and mostly turtles, because turtles are forever). If that isn’t immaculate, I don’t know what is.

With the exception of the Shedd’s most viral posts, this TikTok version garnered over 167,000 views in less than 5 days, whereas the majority of the aquarium's videos typically receive a few thousands views.

Jacksonville Zoo

Jacksonville Zoo kept it both literal and hilarious by saying “let them cook” while handing a giraffe some sticks; because clearly, that giraffe had plans. 🌿 We didn’t expect it, but hey, sometimes you just gotta let them cook.

While the Jacksonville Zoo is fairly new to TikTok and has only made 6 video posts to date, their Gen Z TikTok has received over 2.1 millions views, as compared to their first few posts which had received a few thousand streams.

Roger Williams Park Zoo

Roger Williams Park Zoo took “GOAT” (greatest of all time) literally and figuratively, declaring themselves "the GOATs" while actual goats ran around doing their thing, no cap. 😂 You gotta love when the joke is this on point, fam.

The zoo’s Gen Z video on TikTok is amongst its top 3 highest performing posts, but unlocked a new milestone as it sports the highest number of comments.

Houston Zoo

Houston Zoo staff and volunteers kept it simple yet effective: one sip of coffee, a casual deadpan stare and the word “Bussin.” ☕ No extra frills, just a vibe check passed with flying colors. Pure chef’s kiss.

With over 754,000 views to date, this Gen Z video is the zoo’s most viewed, most liked and most commented on post on their TikTok! Compare that to a few thousand videos per post, this video was a huge success for the Houston Zoo.

Phoenix Zoo

Phoenix Zoo hilariously embraced the ridiculousness of the "Sigma" archetype by describing their entire zoo in an exaggerated "word salad" of Gen Z slang. It’s all tongue in cheek, of course, but trust us, they understood the assignment and ran with it. 💥

Even with over 7,700 likes, this post is not yet one of its most watched videos, but has garnered more than 130 comments, far superior to the usual average of 5 to 10 their Tik Toks generally receive. And if you look at the engaged commenters, you will see that most of them are coming from young people interacting with the zoo for the first time. 

Dallas Zoo

Dallas Zoo decided to make everyone laugh by having two of their “boomer” staff members, declare that the zoo store “slaps” with the straightest faces possible. The contrast? Hilarious. 😂

While the is not one of their most viewed videos yet, it’s racking up engagement in other effective ways. With nearly 10,000 shares since its release, it’s one of those that sparks conversation and interaction, driving comments and shares far beyond the usual.

And there you have it: zoos and aquariums worldwide aren’t just following the Gen Z script trend; they’re owning it. 🙌 Whether they’re tossing out terms like "smol" for their tiniest critters or letting giraffes "cook," these institutions are mastering the art of connecting with younger audiences and yielding successful marketing metrics that hit above their historical average.

It's a trend that's turning everyday zoo trips into viral moments, and the animals aren’t the only ones benefiting. These “Gen Z” campaigns are clearly striking the right chord as the numbers demonstrate. We wish every zoo and aquarium that has chosen to jump into this new marketing trend a very successful run and some very impressive number of views, likes, and comments. No cap.