Think food allergies only affect the 15 million Americans (including 6 million children) who are actually allergic? Think again. Food allergies drive life-changing decisions for entire families, sometimes whole communities: from schools to offices to playgroups. Moreover, some experts believe that the circle of Americans touched by food allergy concerns greatly exceeds15 million.

There is no escaping the term "fake news" these days. All you have to do is scroll through your news feed and the term appears on a regular basis. This, coupled with some of the scandals that have been plaguing corporations recently such as Volkswagen faking emissions tests and the makers of the EpiPen increasing its cost by 400%, has had an impact on consumer trust. And it isn't a positive one.

There was once a time when most of us were listening to music on cassette tapes, when brands interacted with consumers only in focus group facilities and information was gathered via phone surveys. Today, the options to engage with customers are boundless. Technology's rapid growth birthed a new wave of advancement. Everything from our dog's collar to our refrigerator is "smart" and while technology continues to advance, it begs the question, "Are brands any smarter in the way they are growing their bottom line?" The truth might hurt some.