Shifting consumer needs can quickly become national trends for nimble companies to exploit. In five years Chobani has grown from nothing into a billion dollar yoghurt brand by using what others saw as a fad to re-invigorate a tired category.

In America, there are thousands of people – like Girls character Marnie – honing a desire for musical stardom off the back of shows like The Voice and American Idol. Enter StarMaker: the community-based karaoke app turned talent scouting tool.

Twitter has partnered with American music chart company Billboard to create two real-time music charts based on social media mentions. Though the music industry must adapt to survive, can a social media chart really represent an artist or song's popularity authentically?

In an age where we’re constantly evolving the way we interact in our daily lives, we’re finding new ways to mourn and mark loss. So how does the Facebook generation show their grief? Getting a tattoo that can be Instagrammed or shared on Facebook is one of the answers.

The American appetite for fast food is waning. Instead, people are hungry for experiences. In response, fast food chain Taco Bell has launched an upmarket Mexican-American restaurant brand, aimed at a Millennial demographic demanding fresh, gourmet food in a casual setting.

American Express is synonymous with privilege and luxury – so its latest venture may seem surprising. Its Bluebird Bank helps Americans let down by traditional banking, who may not even have a bank account. What's driving the makers of the Black Card to bank the unbanked?

In a bid to boost sales for Valentine's Day, American Apparel’s NYC SoHo branch adorned its mannequins with faux pubic hair, unmissable behind sheer panties. The message: au naturel is best. But is it anything more than a PR stunt?

Easy-to-use personal security measures are a welcome antidote to the privacy fears that plague a post-PRISM scandal world. But are encrypted text messages a necessity, or just a fan to the flames of a paranoia epidemic?