News that McDonald’s profits fell 21% in Q4 2015 highlighted how the brand had lost touch with consumers. Trials in Australia and the Netherlands aim to make the brand relevant again, but can customisable menus and more comfortable restaurants bring people back through the golden arches?

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.

Gen Z had eluded Subway. Teens are watching less live TV, so they don’t see its ads, and they don't like direct advertising. So Subway launched sitcom The 4 to 9ers, and the first season attracted 18 million viewers. But who wants to watch a TV show created by a fast food chain?

People want big brands to consider the planet as well as their patrons. Chipotle is ahead in this game, with the recent release of their app-game hybrid campaign The Scarecrow demonstrating the power of emotional storytelling.