Paramount+ is beginning to test micro dramas — short vertical series with episodic content — in its mobile app in the first quarter of 2025. The company's leadership announced this to employees during an internal meeting on Wednesday, according to Business Insider citing the event presentation. The new format is designed to build daily app usage habits and increase the amount of time viewers spend on the platform throughout the day.
Paramount+ representatives call the goal of launching micro dramas "recalibrating consumer behavior": the company wants to train its audience to watch content on the go and during daytime hours, not just in the evening on a big screen. The project is in early development stages, but the platform has already prepared mockups showing how short vertical series will look in the app interface.
Streaming services transition to short format and vertical video
Paramount+ has already added a short video feed to its mobile app, designed to make the platform more similar to TikTok and YouTube in terms of content consumption mechanics. "We aim to increase visit frequency and keep people in the app longer," a source familiar with the short content initiative told the publication.
In May 2024, Paramount's division — the BET network, focused on African American audiences — announced a partnership with the aTwist platform (formerly MicroCo) to produce micro dramas. This move shows that the company is testing the format not only technologically but also through ready-made production solutions.
Netflix, Disney+, and Peacock have integrated short videos into media buying
Hollywood streaming platforms are massively transitioning to short vertical content. Netflix and Disney+ added short clip feeds to their apps in 2024. Peacock went further: the service not only produces its own micro dramas but also licenses ready-made shows from the category leader — the ReelShort platform. Netflix is also developing creator-generated content and videos around three minutes long.
The transition of major streaming platforms to short vertical format is changing media planning logic: brands can now embed integrations not only in full-length content but also in daily "portions" of series.
The launch of micro dramas on Paramount+ comes against the backdrop of legal complications with the Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition. A U.S. federal court temporarily halted the deal following a lawsuit from twelve states, although the U.S. Department of Justice and European regulators have already approved the merger.
What micro dramas mean for the Russian market and brands
The global trend toward short vertical content has already changed media consumption for Russian audiences: short video viewing time is growing, and classic formats are competing for viewer attention with "bite-sized" content. For Russian brands, this means the need to adapt advertising integrations to the new consumption mechanics: short series require different formats for product mentions, and vertical filming changes a brand's visual language on screen.
When planning blogger advertising and branded content projects, it's important to consider that audiences switch between platforms and formats faster than before. Selecting influencers, forecasting reach, and calculating CPM require understanding how viewers consume content in mobile apps throughout the day. Professional media buying helps integrate a brand into the new consumption logic without losing brand recognition — this is what the ETC team specializes in, focusing on influencer marketing and integrations into creator content.
Frequently asked questions
What are micro dramas on streaming services
Micro dramas are short series with episodes lasting several minutes, shot in vertical format for smartphone viewing. These are usually melodramatic stories designed for daily consumption in small "portions". The format is popular on platforms like ReelShort and is now appearing on major streaming services.
Why is Paramount+ launching short vertical series
The platform wants to increase mobile app usage frequency and the amount of time viewers spend in the service throughout the day. Short vertical series build the habit of watching content on the go, rather than only in the evening on a big screen. This increases Paramount+'s competitiveness compared to TikTok and YouTube.
Which streaming platforms already use micro dramas
Peacock has actively produced and licensed micro dramas since 2024, Netflix is testing short videos around three minutes long, Disney+ and Paramount+ have added short clip feeds to their mobile apps. The leading micro drama platform remains the specialized ReelShort service.
In brief
- Paramount+ is launching micro drama testing in its mobile app in the first quarter of 2025 to build daily service usage habits.
- Netflix, Disney+, and Peacock have already added short vertical videos to their platforms, competing with TikTok and YouTube for mobile audiences.
- The shift of streaming platforms to short format is changing media planning logic: brands are adapting integrations to "bite-sized" content consumption.
- For the Russian market, the growing popularity of short videos requires a rethinking of approaches to blogger advertising and reach forecasting in mobile formats.
Want to see where the market is heading before your competitors do? The ETC team builds a media strategy and media plan for your niche — with reach forecasts and KPIs fixed in the contract.
