“How a Boomer Couple’s Unexpected Zoo Adventure Captivated Gen Z—And Went Viral!”
The video was a hit with audiences, as it went viral on both Instagram and TikTok since being uploaded last Friday (September 6), with netizens loving the confused couple’s attempt at using Gen Z lingo.
“I don’t know where Northumberland is but I’m on my way!” said one of their new fans.
A senior couple’s hilarious use of Gen Z slang to promote Northumberland Zoo went viral as they gave a tour of the premises, dropping phrases like “brat” and “slay” with total sincerity
Image credits: northumberlandzoo
According to Maxine Bradley, the couple’s 35-year-old daughter, the seemingly simple 1-minute video took more than two hours to film.
“We didn’t give my parents any information upfront as we wanted their genuine reactions and plain-faced pronunciations when they said the words. They still don’t know what they mean, and neither do we, to be fair!” she said in an interview with Newsweek.
Image credits: northumberlandzoo
Their zookeeper, Claudia, who is only 27, was laughing the whole time, according to Maxine, assuring them they were on the right track.
“We are all still very surprised at how far this has gone,” she continued, referring to the clip, which has surpassed 5.3 million views on TikTok.
Image credits: northumberlandzoo
Other notable moments include Linda standing by a raccoon eating and saying they are “very cutesy, very mindful, and very demure,” making a reference to a phrase popularized by TikTok creator Jools Lebron.
Linguists explain that, even though every young generation invents their own words, Gen Z has been particularly influenced by the fast-paced nature of social media and video games
