The Scoop

This week in digital and social?

Welcome to The Scoop, your go-to weekly lowdown of the best social and digital moments. We're chronically online so you don't have to be! Tune in every Friday to discover everything from the latest trending content and internet dramas to tech triumphs.

This week, we've gone through the full spectrum of emotions. We've been terrified of Nutter Butter's TikTok account, overjoyed by the Tamagotchi comeback, and constantly surprised by Threads.

Need help getting your brand at the forefront of social culture? Let’s chat .

Our Favourite Brand Social Moment Of The Week

Nutter Butter is currently the most talked about brand on social media, with its most recent 14 TikToks reaching nearly 80m views (and counting). Described as a 'fever dream', an 'edible high' and similar to the brain rot horror that Gen Alpha obsesses over, Nutter Butter's TikTok account is a stark contrast to the brand's positioning on its website and other channels.?

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Brands often flex their TOV for different platforms, but this is the most extreme case we've seen so far. Is it working? They're definitely standing out from other brands rehashing the same old trends, but can Nutter Butter can turn this moment of virality into long-term brand momentum; what do you think?

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Tech Triumphs

Tamagotchi is back…The world is healing!?

9-year-old me would be losing it right now. Tamagotchis have made a serious comeback since their official UK relaunch in 2019, and now they’re about to open their first UK store. The highly nostalgic pull of these virtual pets has attracted a surprising mix of audiences, from OG millennial owners to curious kids.

“When we relaunched, we thought it would mostly resonate with adults,” says Bandai Namco. “But it’s amazing to see kids who’ve never experienced anything like this before really embracing it.”

Platform Updates

The Most Downloaded Apps in August 2024

Here are the most downloaded apps of August, and—wait, Threads ranked second? Meta hasn't updated Threads' active user count since it hit 200 million in late July, but the download numbers suggest the app is still gaining momentum.

Are you a Threads convert? If so, what do you like about it? Let us know in the comments section below!

Our Fave Social Trend?

Holding Things the Way Men Hold Fish

A new trend is making the rounds; recreating the classic "men holding fish" pose—but with brands putting a twist on it and showing off their instore products. It’s a quirky take on the hyper-masculine pride of showing off a catch, now flipped into a promotional trend (with a splash of micro-feminism too).

Drama, Discussions, Debates

Moo Deng and Pesto: The Rise of Cute Internet Animals

Remember Shiba the meme dog? Grumpy Cat? Or Doug the Pug? The internet has always had a soft spot for cute animals to obsess over and the latest viral animal sensation is Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo born at a zoo in Thailand whose name means "bouncy pork".

The Nurturing Response is to blame for our obsession with baby animals on the internet -Moo Deng's round face, big eyes, and tiny size are neotenic (baby-like) traits that trigger our nurturing instincts. Zoo admissions have surged just to catch a glimpse of the pygmy hippo, and social media is full of compilations showcasing her sassy demeanour— but because the internet is a weird place it doesn't stop there, people have even started recreating Moo Deng-inspired makeup looks!

Does Doug the Pug feel that his animal wellness empire could come under threat from this new competition? As his latest Instagram post shows, keep your enemies close.