Are you a 20-something with commitment issues? A 40-something on a skateboard? Or a 70-something that feels overlooked? If you haven’t had an identity crisis, you haven’t lived. By understanding people at different times in life, we can design products that add pleasure or alleviate their pain.

The desire to own and drive your own car used to be a life-defining characteristic for young Brits – but its importance is fading. And it’s the same case in other countries too, from the US and Germany to Japan and Australia. But why? And how is the car industry responding?

After much difficulty for the industry in the wake of the recession, new car sales have been steadily rising since 2012. Yet a growing number of Gen Yers are no longer buying cars outright, leasing them instead. Why are Personal Contract Purchases taking off? And are they here to stay?

Storytelling has become a guiding principle for great marketing, letting companies neatly fit into consumers’ lives. But with one well-timed ad capable of changing someone’s shopping habits for years, how can brands address our milestone moments without seeming opportunistic?