More calories were consumed in snacks during the 2015 Super Bowl than at Thanksgiving dinner in 2014. Snacking in the US is at an all-time high, with 91% doing it daily. So why is the 'little and often' habit replacing traditional meals? And what does the average American really want from a snack?

Bacon, two types of cheese and a slick of the Colonel’s secret sauce, squashed between two fried chicken fillets. KFC’s Double Down isn’t so much a sandwich as a deconstructed heart attack. And it's appealing to our grossest desires for spectacular, unapologetic indulgence.

Burger King is seeking a truce with McDonald’s in the interest of the International Day of Peace – an initiative helmed by UN-backed nonprofit Peace One Day. Its proposal? The building of the McWhopper – a hybrid of each of the brands' signature burgers – available for one day only.

Digitisation is helping brands and their customers communicate, forming narratives and relationships. Whether it's Netflix taking its viewers to prom, or Anchorman's Ron Burgundy reading the regional news, brands are manifesting in the real world, disguised as human beings.