PUBLISHED ONOctober 10, 2024 9:25 AMByLim Kewei"Can you feel our bus' aura coming from 10 miles away?"
This question — posed by an SBS Transit employee in a TikTok video uploaded on Wednesday (Oct 9) — was answered with a resounding 'yes' from netizens, who awarded him with "infinite aura" points.
For the uninitiated, "aura points" is a light-hearted way of determining a person's vibes and coolness.
The one-minute clip continues with the two bus captains dishing out etiquette tips peppered with Gen Alpha slang and trending memes, such as the viral audio tracks of "mama a girl behind you" and "fein".
"Imagine long bus rides and yap," reads the text in the video.
It cuts back to the male bus captain, who says: "See how I don't sit at the priority seat? Such an alpha skibidi rizzler."
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@sbstransitcareers/video/7423729172717030664[/embed]
The video has amassed over 100,000 views and 100 comments from amused netizens in less than a day.
One TikTok user commented: "This is +1,000,000 aura advertising."
"I live for these videos. Slay SBS slay," said another.
SBS Transit's video is one of the latest in a brand-dominated TikTok trend called "letting our Gen Z interns write the marketing script".
It's rather self-explanatory: A script penned by a 'Gen Z intern' and peppered with slang is used for a social media video.
But what really reels in viewers is the narrators — usually someone from the older generations (Millennials and Gen X) and their deadpan or somewhat clumsy delivery of the script.
The quirky trend is most often used by businesses and tourist attractions around the world as a way to showcase their offerings and boost visitorship among a younger audience.
Another local brand who has gone viral for pulling off the trend is the National Gallery of Singapore. Its video has garnered an impressive five million collective views since it was uploaded to their TikTok and Instagram page on Sept 26.
It begins with Front-of-House ambassador Clarence greeting the camera as he proclaims that "it's time to enter your artsy era".
"It's lit," he says while standing next to a lit-up exhibit. "This is also lit," he says, pointing at another exhibit.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@nationalgallerysingapore/video/7418934024036551944[/embed]
The tour of the museum continues in a similar fashion.
"Queen of giving us the bombastic side eye, Georgette Chen is that girl," he says as he introduces an artwork by the Singaporean painter.
"You get to pole dance in this gallery," Clarence jovially shares in another clip. "Chat, is this real?"
Netizens worldwide took to the comments to gush over his apt narration, with several stating that they are "booking a flight to Singapore".
"The vibe is immaculate, he really ate that script," said a TikTok user.
Another added: "This is the best one. He's a natural."
Other local organisations who have hopped on this trend include the Mandai Wildlife Reserve and the Singapore Civil Defence Force, whose videos garnered over 500,000 and 90,000 thousand views respectively.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@mandaiwildlifereserve/video/7413324517826759954[/embed]
If executed correctly, this trend can be relatable to viewers and shine a spotlight on the brand. But it walks a fine line between cool and cringe.
Sunny Johar, managing director and head of digital strategy at digital agency KRDS told Marketing Interactive that bigger and more established brands "tend to receive criticism in the comments section".
"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.
Kimberley Olsen, co-founder of digital creative agency Yatta Workshop, agreed and said the usage of Gen Z and Gen A slang should not be forced for the trend.
Kristian Olsen, founder and managing director at Type A, told Marketing Interactive: You want to be in on the joke — not the butt of it."
He added that the trend could possibly "break down the corporate facade" and make brands come across as more approachable, relatable and less intimidating.
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lim.kewei@asiaone.com
