In a hyper-connected world, it feels like everything previously ‘insider’ is more available than ever: from behind-the-scenes access to the lives of public figures to travel experiences immersing people into worlds previously deemed unattainable. But while people embrace this community-based inclusivity and u...

Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience.

Canvas8’s 2016 Expert Outlook on communications explores whether ‘impermanent networks’ will be the platforms of choice in the future, if people are becoming more careful about what they share on social media, and how brands can listen to consumers to better suit their needs.

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

While WhatsApp wins over the West and WeChat conquers China, messaging app LINE has taken Japan by storm. With 400 million users worldwide, and 52 million in Japan alone, LINE's bright and vibrant customisable stickers are hugely popular – but can they really replace text?

Whether pinging your colleague a PDF or sending a mate an mp3, email attachments are the norm. And Google Wallet now allows UK users to attach cash to their emails, too. But in a financial landscape rife with privacy concerns, do people really want bank transfers to be as easy as sending an email?

Clarks has a lot of stories to tell. The British shoe brand isn’t just the place your mum took you for school shoes, it’s a company with a rich history of subcultural cool. Now the brand is telling those stories to one person at a time, via messaging platform Whatsapp.

Shanghai has signed a historic agreement with media conglomerate Tencent, to turn the Chinese megapolis into a tech-enabled smart city. But within the futuristic plans is a familiar presence; the entire operation will run on China’s most popular social network, WeChat.

More than 600 million people use Facebook Messenger each month to send texts, photos and videos. In March 2015 at the company’s F8 developer conference, Zuckerberg announced that you’ll soon be chatting to your favourite brand via the platform as easily as you do your best mate.

Smartphones have transcended their status as luxury possessions – they're practically considered a necessity. So it’s probably not surprising that mobile shopping is on the up – in the UK, it's set to rise by 77% in 2015. And thanks to Barclays Pingit, now you can even pay for stuff via Twitter.