In a world of constant upgrading, ownership can feel outmoded. Mobile phone network Vodafone harnessed this insight with Red Hot – a new deal that lets users rent the latest phones for a year, plus insurance and price plan, before giving it back.

From being accustomed to renting our homes, and that power drill you only need once, we now don’t mind renting a nail polish that someone else has already had their hands on, or not owning our washing machine. But why aren’t people so keen to own material possessions anymore?

Nearly 80% of teens in the US have a mobile, but their parents have no control over who they're texting or how much time they are spending on Facebook. Virgin Mobile Custom lets parents monitor and control how kids use their phone, but does it signal the end of net neutrality?

Contemporary consumers increasingly distrust huge 'faceless' companies. Enter the 'challenger brand': a Robin Hood figure who may not offer the biggest or best, but takes care of their customers and thinks outside the box.