"Short-drama apps aren’t just a trendy offshoot of digital entertainment; they hint at a deeper reconfiguration of media that prioritises brevity, emotional intensity, and personalisation," writes Nativex's Yikai Li.Over the past year, a new form of entertainment has taken the digital world by storm: the short-drama app.
These mobile-first platforms, serving up serialised stories often just one to three minutes long, are rewriting the rules of what it means to be a modern viewer – and a modern advertiser. Initially propelled by China-based companies, short-drama apps such as ReelShort and DramaBox are now capturing global audiences, boasting record downloads and skyrocketing ad revenues that traditional media companies can only envy.
In the first quarter of 2024 alone, these apps collectively racked up about 37 million downloads, a 992 per cent increase from the same period a year earlier. Consumer spending on these platforms likewise soared to $146m, up from just $1.8m in Q1 2023 – a staggering 8,000 per cent leap.
These numbers are no blip. They illustrate a larger paradigm shift in how audiences consume content and how brands should think about reaching these viewers.
Mobile-first storytelling
The allure of short-dramas is straightforward: people crave engaging entertainment they can watch on the go.
These mini-soap operas, each episode typically less than three minutes, fit neatly into lunch breaks, commutes, or any spare moment in our hyper-connected lives.
They often rely on cliffhanger endings and emotionally charged narratives, hooking audiences in ways longer-form content struggles to match on small screens.
In some markets, these bite-sized dramas have begun eclipsing even established streaming giants. Last November, for example, ReelShort briefly unseated Netflix on the U.S. Apple App Store charts.
While much of this growth has been documented in Asia and North America, what remains less visible is how these apps are faring in the Middle East, Africa, and India – regions with rapidly expanding mobile penetration and a vast youth demographic.
That is where marketers should be paying closer attention. If short dramas are upending audience habits, they are also transforming advertising strategies. Traditional 30-second commercial spots feel out of place here; users would simply swipe away.
Instead, marketers should consider including multi-platform solutions beyond just in-app ads. It’s a win-win proposition: users get more content, and advertisers enjoy higher engagement rates than they would from standard banner ads.
Brands are even weaving themselves into the plot. Rather than bombarding audiences with out-of-context promotional breaks, advertisers are partnering with producers to embed products into the narrative.
Think of a character ordering lunch on a food-delivery app or sporting a smartwatch in a pivotal scene. When done well, it feels organic, enhances authenticity, and fosters a deeper emotional connection between brand and viewer.
The economics of the bite-sized short-drama
For content creators, short-dramas are refreshingly cost-effective. While a single TV episode can cost millions to produce, a compelling short drama series may run under US$150,000 in production expenses.
Yet the returns can be significant: some shows reportedly generate $2m in weekly revenue, thanks in part to microtransactions, virtual currencies, and strategic in-app purchases.
For marketers, this translates into multiple entry points for building campaigns.
Whether it’s sponsoring a specific drama series or launching a fully integrated marketing partnership with cameo appearances and interactive ads, short-drama platforms deliver focused engagement at a fraction of big-budget traditional media buys.
Short-drama apps have grown so quickly partly because they’ve invested in localisation.
Early successes in China led to customised storylines and translations for Western audiences; now these platforms are taking root in Southeast Asia, and they’re primed to expand further across the Middle East, Africa, and India. In the Middle East region, where smartphone adoption continues to climb, short dramas could capture viewers hungry for culturally relevant, localised storylines.
Already, streaming services here are experimenting with shorter content formats, but deeper data – on viewer preferences, ad tolerances, and local payment habits – remains sparse. For brands hoping to capitalise on this trend, fresh research into IMEA-specific user behavior will be crucial. Insights into how viewers from Riyadh to Nairobi to Mumbai engage with short-form narratives can help tailor everything from plot lines to ad formats.
AI, influencers, and shoppable content
The next leap in short-drama consumption will likely be fueled by artificial intelligence (AI). If an app knows your favorite genres, it can push hyper-personalised drama recommendations or deliver brand partnerships that feel genuinely relevant.
Meanwhile, shoppable content – where viewers can purchase a character’s on-screen outfit or gadget in real time – presents a promising new revenue stream.
Similarly, influencers are realising that short drama apps can amplify their reach. Collaboration between social media stars and app-based shows is a natural match, one that merges built-in fanbases with high-quality scripted storytelling.
So how do short drama apps monetise, and what opportunity do they present for advertisers?
Advertising works especially effectively, given the tightly-condensed type of users these apps attract. Short-drama apps are a great place to reach a primarily female, middle-class, millennial/Gen X audience, one of the prized groups of users for most advertisers.
Producing a good TV ad can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars – without even considering the media cost – but investing your campaign budget in short-dramas could offer more brand exposure opportunities.
With 100 minutes of storytelling, brands can achieve extensive visibility on this new opportunity. Short-drama apps are also a great place for video apps, educational apps, casual games, and utility apps to acquire new users, given the similarities between their user bases.
Furthermore, creators of these apps are also often open to collaborating with brands and gaming companies directly to integrate their products natively into short dramas.
For the app, this approach provides additional revenue streams and enhances content appeal and marketing reach, leveraging established brand popularity to attract viewers.
For the advertiser, it offers a way to integrate advertising messages natively into the editorial content of the app.
A glimpse into the future of advertising on short-drama apps
Short-drama apps aren’t just a trendy offshoot of digital entertainment; they hint at a deeper reconfiguration of media that prioritises brevity, emotional intensity, and personalisation.
And with more viewers pivoting to mobile-first content, these platforms are likely here to stay. For marketers, the lesson is clear: adapt your strategies to meet these audiences where they are – or risk being left behind by an ecosystem that’s rewriting the rules of engagement.
This shift is hardly confined to East Asia or the United States. The EMEA region, teeming with mobile-savvy consumers, stands on the cusp of a short-drama boom of its own.
But to harness it effectively, advertisers must do their homework, investing in region-specific research and innovative ad formats.
In a world of ephemeral attention spans, the brands that thrive will be those that understand the power of short, sharp, and culturally resonant storytelling – and seize the opportunities this new medium provides.
By Yikai Li, General Manager – Global Business at Nativex.
