While the past decade has seen the rise of maker culture - from crafting to hacking - DIY retailers seem to have been left out. And yet, despite a shaky housing market, the desire to improve one’s home has never been stronger. So what’s behind this mismatch, and how can brands transform into buzzing hives for a new generation of DIYers?

The days of looking quizzically at a broken tap before caving in and calling a plumber are over. Nowadays, much of the information needed to fix household problems is just a click away. In fact, on YouTube alone there are over 1,000 channels dedicated to How To and DIY videos.

Nearly 30% of both UK and US households are single. And of those aged 25-44, there are more than twice as many men living alone as women. It's been described as the greatest social change since the baby boom, but how are brands responding to all these men choosing to ‘go solo’?

It's the 21st century and men can be affectionate and splash out on manbags, while women can be CEOs and skip motherhood if they want. Gender boundaries are falling away, right? Actually, a new study shows that gender stereotypes haven’t progressed much since the '80s.