The Rise of Skinny Content

In China, three out of five internet users reportedly watch “micro-dramas.” If the rise of TikTok is any indication of how the digital behaviors of China influence the global market, what’s happening with the growth of “skinny content” apps in the US is an early signal around the next wave of innovation for social video content. ReelShort and apps like it (DramaBox, FlickReels, Goodshort, etc.) specialize in 1-2 minute 9:16 soap operas. Some reports indicate that the collective audience for these micro-drama apps have a global audience of 150M users. Behind their impressive global reach however, these apps are normalizing a new video format for US audiences, presenting emerging creative opportunities for Entertainment marketing campaigns.

The growth of skinny content apps, like ReelShort, is a complete reinterpretation of premium as the industry often defines it: there’s no Quibi-Spielberg deal here – instead, this content is proudly produced with lower budgets, and its stories are soap operas with three plot twists in a minute. Here’s a quick skim of the recent trending slate:

• "The Senator’s Son"

• "The Billionaire's Virgin Surrogate"

• "Falling For My Ex’s Mafia Dad"

• "Lassoed By A Cowboy’s Love"

If Entertainment marketing is at the core about sampling a little bit of the story, then the rise of skinny content formats presents a broadening landscape of creative content as audiences become accustomed to “micro-story” formats. While most leading apps in the space monetize like mobile games—through micro-transactions rather than brand partnerships—there’s an opportunity to break the campaign mold by creating micro-drama content in the same format. It taps into the trend while offering a fresh alternative to the typical series or film marketing assets.