Brands have long used famous faces in adverts to reliably boost the awareness and sales of their products. But what is it about star endorsements that make people stop and pay attention? And how is a desire for authenticity changing the expectations for celebrity partnerships?

When it comes to their buying behaviours, people in China are influenced by their idols. E-commerce platform Stardrobe taps into this by making it easy for users to find fashionable items similar to those worn by celebrities. Is this what's attracting the site's 60 million users?

The massively popular Asian TV dramaOde To Joyhas been dubbed as China’s answer toSex and The City, thanks to its portrayal of independent young women. But the shows also have something else in common – both have proved hugely successful vehicles for luxury product placement.

Around 200 million people in China have a live-streaming account. For some, watching others’ daily existence has become a way of life, whether that’s seeing someone eat noodles or witnessing a prankster set his car alight. What’s behind this social media sensation? And why is it so addictive?