After lockdowns forced artists to get creative to reach fans, K-pop management group SM Entertainment seized on the moment to create the first 'blended reality' girl group, with human members and virtual avatars. Aespa is designed for global pop consumption in an increasingly digital-first world.

With her flawlessly rendered appearance and dramatic digital narratives, virtual influencer Lil’ Miquela has been challenging ideas of authenticity on Instagram since 2016. Why are brands and social media users embracing these CGI celebrities and could they ever replace their human counterparts?

Gamers are used to spending on virtual goods to customise characters and unlock additional content, but how would they feel about IRL brands existing in these environments? As fashion labels seek to capture the next generation of luxe shoppers, how can they engage gamers in an authentic way?

Celeb endorsements have lost some of their power in the social media era, but what makes bloggers, vloggers, and self-styled fashionistas so effective as spokespeople? Canvas8 talked to Alexander Schouten, assistant professor at Tilburg University, about how influencers convince people to buy.