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’re discussing the Olympics' infamous anti-sex beds, exploring why autumn is the season of 2024, and finally, one of our favourite products has gone travel-sized.

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

Our Favourite Brand Social Moment Of The Week

Domino's Garlic and Herb Travel-Sized Companion Competition

Domino's knows its consumers well and is giving us our brat summer essentials with their cult-classic garlic and herb dip taking centre-stage. Fans of the pizza brand can win their very own travel-sized garlic and herb dip, which comes in a 100ml bottle ensuring travellers can take it through airport customs hassle-free. With the holiday season in full swing, this was a simple yet genius competition to help Dominos get into spaces they aren't conventionally found in.

Tech Triumphs

Olympics cardboard beds

There is A LOT of chatter online at the moment around the cardboard beds provided for athletes at this upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. Internet rumours claim it's an “anti-sex” initiative, supposedly designed to prevent casual sex among the competitors, but athletes like Tom Daley are debunking those myths by posting videos of them jumping up and down to test how sturdy the beds are. Olympics chiefs also denied the rumours and said they are dishing out 300,000 condoms to make sure "that everybody will have what they are expecting and what they need". Looks like Paris is the city of love after all!

Platform Updates

Finally! TikTok has rolled out a loonnng awaited new feature : the option to upload a custom cover image.

This update allows users to select any picture from their camera roll as the cover for their videos, something Instagram has offered for its Reels for years now. Previously, TikTok required users to choose a still from their video, but that's no longer the case.

Now, you can use anything from your own designs to aesthetic photos as your cover image. This long-overdue change is a true game-changer for brands and creators alike. Will you be taking advantage of this new feature?

Our Fave Social Trends

A Nostalgia for Autumn and Summerween

A hint of nostalgia is in the air as users embrace the sound “Don’t Know Why” by Norah Jones, reminiscing about early 2000s autumn vibes. Cravings for cinnamon buns, crisp mornings, and hot coffee are at an all-time high - it's giving Nora Ephron and Gilmore Girls and we're here for it.

Meanwhile, Summerween is in full swing, inspired by the Gravity Falls cartoon. Creators are celebrating with Halloween-themed treats, pool parties, and festive decor, bringing a spooky twist to summer fun.

Dramas, Discussions, Debates

Paralympics TikTok controversy

The official TikTok account for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games is facing backlash for using tone-deaf sounds in its videos. With over 4 million followers, the account highlights sports like sitting volleyball, wheelchair fencing, Para Taekwondo, and blind football.

However, some viral videos have sparked outrage. Critics argue that using popular memes and audio over footage of athletes seems mocking. One clip of single-leg cyclist Darren Hicks pedalling to "left, left, left" has over 40 million views.

While Hicks stated he wasn't offended, not everyone agrees. Amputee soccer player Sean Jackson told the BBC he was disappointed that the account focuses more on mistakes than skills. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!