If you knew that this was the only chance you’d ever get to read this sentence, would you pay closer attention? Snapchat’s ephemeral messages are a more human way of relating digitally, but they offer more than just a carefree share. Their fleeting nature asks us to stop and pay attention.

With a valuation of more than $15 billion, Snapchat has already proven that vertical videos work. Facebook is now looking to tap into that success, with the social network announcing the launch of vertical video advertising – and people seem to love the new format.

If you’ve sung along to Carpool Karaoke, or been mesmerised by a 30-second Tasty recipe, then you’ll know just how engaging video content can be. Video will account for 69% of all consumer internet traffic by 2017, but how can brands best harness this visual medium to engage people online?

Did YouTube kill the Hollywood star? In the second installment of this two-parter, we look at why Gen Z value the talents and opinions of their digital peers, what services they are flocking to and how a shift towards user generated content will affect the future of media production and distribution.