The itty-bitty IKEA-stuffy-dragging monkey named Punch captured the hearts of internet empaths around the globe. His harrowing journey to reintegrate with a troop of monkeys at a Japanese zoo hit home with TikTok users and went globally viral over the last week. With daily updates on his progress toward making friends, Punch’s journey has gone from run-of-the-mill zoo work to an international day care progress report. But what makes breakout social stars like Punch? And can you aspire to create content that hits like this, or is serendipity the only driver of virality?