Listicles, celeb gossip, virals, and vloggers. Nothing works harder to capture and retain our attention than the internet. But if clicks, page views, and ‘likes’ no longer cut it when it comes to gauging how engaging a platform really is. How should we be measuring a brands money-making potential?

Should brands be provocateurs? Why do we expect our social networks to work harder? How can shaming be a force for good? And why tuning out the things we don't want to hear is easier than ever.

Whether it's a news story or an episode of a TV series, people are increasingly watching video content on their smartphones and tablets. It's this shift in viewing habits that is at the heart of why Verizon has acquired AOL for $4.4 billion in order to advance its advertising capabilities.

Advert-blocking browser plugins are growing at a rate of nearly 70% year-on-year. The most popular, AdBlocker, reached 150 million users in June 2014. And if people really are more likely to climb Mount Everest than click a banner ad, what is next for online advertising?