Just like beer before it, spirits are getting the craft treatment. Tapping into the emphasis on quality over quantity, Diageo has launched an accelerator programme to raise the next generation of craft distilleries. But why isn’t Diageo just creating its own premium brand?

As people grow accustomed to new levels of convenience, there’s an increasing demand for brands to stamp out the little irritations. Author and thinker Adam Morgan explains how the modern challenger brand finds its footing.

Sleep is a big deal – 60% of Americans crave it over sex. But traditionally a good mattress is an investment, costing up to $3,000. Tuft & Needle is changing that. It offers an affordable, high-tech design that means your partner won’t feel you’re there, or that their wallet is a new bed lighter.

Cablevision specialises in TV and internet. It's not a mobile network. But with the likes of T-Mobile and Verizon collectively losing $386 billion to platforms such as Skype and WhatsApp, Cablevision has introduced a WiFi-only mobile contract with a competitive price tag. But is this really the future of mobile?

Whether you're after a craft beer or an organic, protein-rich snack bar, premium products often come from unexpected places. While big name brands can sometimes fail to resonate with consumers who want something a little more niche, instead, they're acquiring smaller brands to co-exist with.

Push for a pizza, swipe for a cleaner and tap for a taxi. The rise of apps like Uber is facilitating the culture of ‘I want it, and I want it now’. For digital-savvy city-dwellers from London to Beijing, everything you need – from your dinner to a ride home – is just an app away.

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.

"The perfect rider. Candy and Pedialyte,” tweets Pharell Williams. Yes, that’s the same Pedialyte parents have been giving sick kids for years to rehydrate them. It can also be found on Miley Cyrus’ Instagram. Why? Because its sodium-rich formula makes for the perfect hangover cure.