Our armour is serving main character energy: The museum using Gen Z slang to attract younger crowds... and go viral
Visitor attractions have begun using Gen Z slang to tempt younger crowds - and go viral online - and a new contender is being hailed for, well, slaying the competition.
Visitor attractions have begun using Gen Z slang to tempt younger crowds - and go viral online - and a new contender is being hailed for, well, slaying the competition.
Firearms expert Mark Murray-Flutter, 65, has become a social media star for his awkward delivery of terms such as rizzler, main character energy and Pop off, queen - and has now revealed that last one is his favourite.
The bespectacled and tweed suit-wearing specialist at the Royal Armouries in Leeds features in a new 57-second TikTok video giving a quickfire tour of the UKs national museum of arms and armour.
On its website, the free-entry venue promises thousands of incredible objects, from ancient times to the present day - including Japanese samurai and movie props, Henry VIIs armour and an Indian war elephant.
Yet it is his use of phrases such as Brat summer is over, besties, negative aura points, very based and slay which is now persuading people to vow a visit - while Mark has told MailOnline how impressed his Gen Z nieces and nephews are too.
The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds has gone viral with a TikTok video using Gen Z slang - delivered by firearms expert ark Murray-Flutter, a 65-year-old boomer
The 57-second TikTok clip gives a tour of the UKs national museum of arms and armour
Mark delivers terms such as rizzler, main character energy and Pop off, queen
Social media users have been sharing the video widely and praising his performance
He also revealed he was initially baffled by the script but feels he can now at least begin to understand Gen Z, the generation born between 1995 and 2010 - whereas Mark admits he is a boomer, meaning those born from 1945 to 1965.
The clip is the latest in a new trend of putting Gen Z language into the mouths of unlikely spokespeople.
The Royal Armouries posted their attempt on TikTok, with the on-screen caption Letting gen z write the marketing script - and as description of Mark as serving curatorial realness.
It was picked up and shared on X, formerly Twitter, by a user who wrote: This marketing video for the Royal Armouries in Leeds has made my day.
Her post has now been watched more than 850,000 times, receiving 2,000 reposts and 13,000 likes.
Addressing viewers with a script written by Royal Armouries colleague Katie Glover, Mark starts by saying: Brat summer is over, besties - its time to enter your historical era.
Brat summer was declared earlier this year by singer-songwriter Charlie XCX, inspiring a wave of Gen X TikTokers to post videos of how they shared her Brat aesthetic of recklessness, eccentric behaviour, and risqué attitudes.
Mark then describes the Royal Armouries as the West Yorkshire citys most sigma day out - sigma meaning cool and independent - before using the terms no cap (true) and slay (doing something extremely well).
He shows off some of the museums armour said to be serving main character energy - that is, exuding confidence - before adding, Pop off, queen, a compliment.
Mark begins by saying: Brat summer is over, besties - its time to enter your historical era
He shows off some of the museums armour said to be serving main character energy - that is, exuding confidence - before adding, Pop off, queen, a compliment
The senior curator calls the Royal Armouries the most sigma day out in Leeds
Among the most popular contributions is his description of Henry VIII as the original rizzler - inspired by the slang term rizz, meaning someones charm and seduction skills, possible derived from the word charisma.
And pointing out one of Henry VIIIs codpieces on display, Mark explains how it hits different - being special, different or better in an unexpected or strange way.
The museums largest display of arms and armour since the 19th century is apparently very based, another superlative, as is lit for their dioramas which Mark says are sending me, or providing joy or amusement.
He threatens negative aura points if you miss the gift shop - disapproval for not being cool - while their cafe apparently ate and left no crumbs, or did a great job - as do the museums tote bags which understood the assignment.
Mark signs off by telling those tuning in: What are you waiting for? The vibes are immaculate - enjoy a goated day out. Slay.
Goated comes from GOAT, standing for greatest of all time.
He has been involved with the museum for the past 40 years and serves as its senior curator of firearms.
Now he has an approving modern-day fanbase, with online comments such as: This is by far the best use of modern gen alpha slang by an elder person. Slay on indeed.
The video has been hailed as a masterpiece that needs to be preserved in a museum for all time, the best thing Ive ever seen and genius marketing.
Mark says the museums cafe ate and left no crumbs, that is did a great job
And he offers similar praise for their tote bags which understood the assignment
Fans have been singing Mark Murray-Flutters praises on X, formerly Twitter
One fan on X, formerly Twitter, posted: This is absolutely how its done. Hes the right side of awkward and not overly trying to absolutely nail it.
Others posted comments such as I think he gets more into it as it goes on, You gotta hand it to him, that was brilliant, That is superb, what a star, Right that’s it I’m going and I think this might be my favourite one yet.
Referring to the recent spate of similar videos, one viewer wrote: I was thinking I’d seen too many of these but "this codpiece hits different" is special.
Another remarked: Thank you, Boomers solemnly chatting Gen Z slang has brought me many moments of pleasure.
Mark has now responded to the adulation, telling MailOnline: The response has been totally unexpected but very pleasing. Of course, I’m happy to do more.
I didn’t understand the script at first, but eventually once I understood what the phraseology referred to I got into it.
Understanding this new language that Gen Z are now using helped me get to grips with the script. In fact, I rather enjoyed delivering the short punchy lines – all very slay.
I was rather taken with the phrase "pop off, queen" - it made me chuckle. I even understood its reference when it was said in a film I saw over the weekend and I cannot help myself from using a few phrases today.
Mark has now told MailOnline: The response has been totally unexpected but very pleasing. Of course, I’m happy to do more
He says he didnt understand the script at first but eventually got into it
A post sharing the video has been reposted 2,000 times and received 13,000 likes
I do feel though that I can now at least begin to understand Gen Z. In fact my nieces and nephews - 18 to 40 - told me they had seen it and loved it.
Even my sisters who are all Gen X had seen it. I, of course, am a boomer.
The phenomenon is said to have originated from a video promoting Fyfield Manor in Oxfordshire, which received more than 11million views in four days.
That one showed owner Christine Brown wandering around the grounds of the 880-year-old B&B, saying that a Georgian-panelled dining room understood the assignment - meaning it does its job perfectly.
She goes on to describe that the Victorian windows as demure and mindful - referring to a viral TikTok phrase which stemmed from a video from Jools Lebron talking about how to do work-appropriate makeup.
According to the Times, the B&B owners daughter came up with the idea for the video after seeing people filming their parents going to the shop and other mundane activities which users found hilarious due to the quirks of the older generation.
The 26-year-olds mother said she just did as she was told and was amazed by the results, adding: I didnt even know what any of the words meant!
Others filming and sharing similar clips have included visitor attractions such as Beamish Museum in County Durham and Hever Castle in Kent, as well as companies including SpecSavers - though their speakers were noticeably younger.
The trend for adopting Gen Z slang originated from a video promoting Fyfield Manor in Oxfordshire, featuring B&B owner Christine Brown (pictured)
Reading a script penned by her 26-year-old daughter, Christine later said she just did as she was told and was amazed by the results
It follows the National Gallery hiring social media influencers in a bid to attract Gen Z visitors and promote its art to a new audience.
To try and entice younger visitors, the central London attraction is using content creators to promote its work through a series of videos.
Marking its 200th anniversary, the gallery gave £4,000 to 20 influencers which include artists, comedians and historians, as well as former contestants from BBCs RuPauls Drag Race and The Great British Bake Off.
The National Gallerys social media and community manager told The Times she thought Gen Z were more likely to visit if they see collections posted on the accounts of content creators they trust instead of try hard attempts.
