There are more than a million apps on Apple's App Store. From Angela The Talking Cat to an abundance of menstruation trackers, it promises a solution to our every whim and requirement. But slick as they may be, are apps any better at helping us out than a good, old fashioned text?

Private messaging is an ideal medium to do the obvious – open a dialogue and conduct a conversation. In fact, 59% of all US social sharing now occurs in private channels. But while people are happy to chat to their mates on platforms like Facebook Messenger, how can brands get involved?

Why are brands getting chatty in dark spaces? How is social media being used as a safety check? Why do modern men want to be handled with a gentle touch? And how are friends becoming more valuable?

Want a Big Mac, fries and beers? Roses for your girlfriend? A flight to Boston next Friday? Text Magic your request and consider it done. The start-up promises to make anything – anything legal, at least – magically appear at your door through a texting-based service.