So, pop up has been hot for a while.

Stores, more recently food outlets. In disused retail spaces, warehouses, trucks, vans, tuk tuks. See a recent round-up care of Flavourpill here.

Why do we get so excited about them?

According to several theories on emotional branding (e.g. emotional branding, lovemarks, brand jam and others) it is a sense of exclusivity and mystery that helps us connect with brands. We feel special and therefore we choose to connect to the brand which makes us feel that way.

Beyond fashion and food, how can we apply the pop up excitement in different ways, different industries?

Here's some different frames to illuminate the potential for other ways this technique can be applied to your brand. And incidentally, how you can give back to your customers.

• Translate physical to virtual - can you create a virtual pop up experience or offer?
• One to many - Instead of one pop-up, can you multiply locations, people, offers? Imagine doing a mass pop-up around the city, a mass pop-up of your product or service taking over a disused or ordinary space.
• Pop up to serve - If you have a service, can you pop up right where you're needed? Think massages at the end of a race, accounting or life advice for individuals affected by organisational collapse?
• Crowd-source your pop-up - Engage your customers who can vote where you pop-up and fun details. You never know, you could be popping up on the top of the Empire state building dressed as sailors, with your customers along for fun.

For my business, virtual desktops, we could take the benefits - being able to work anywhere, on any device, and create pop-up co-workings spots in ingenious locations and styles. You just have to be in the virtual desktops user club to know.

One of the best examples of the notion of pop-up that I have experienced is 'Secret Cinema' in London. You register, receive an email outlining only what to wear and an oblique clue. One booked you are given a location and a time to meet. It is a fairytale experience of delight that does not publicise but now gets 500 - 700 people per event. Harnessing the magic of mystery to not just promote a brand but create one.