Chinese Short Dramas Sweeping the Globe
In the past two years, a new genre, "short dramas", is poised to become the next popular video entertainment trend following "short videos" and "live streaming". This form of entertainment is not only well-received in China but has also gained popularity overseas. Recently, a short drama app from China has successfully become a regular presence on the best-selling list for iOS.
The data indicates that ReelShort has reached the second position on the best-selling chart and claimed the top spot in the entertainment category. As of the time of writing this blog, it has maintained its position at 14th place. The success of ReelShort can be attributed to extensive advertising efforts. According to the data, ReelShort began increasing its advertising presence from late June to early July this year. The revenue has also surged along with the growth in advertising efforts.
From a data perspective, the chosen advertising format for ReelShort predominantly consists of video content, with a focus on advertising in the more developed regions of Europe and North America. It can be inferred that employing a similar advertising strategy may yield positive results.
As for the advertisements themselves, they often follow the formula of mindless and entertaining dramas. For example, highly popular titles like "The Double Life of My Billionaire Husband" and "I Got Married Without You" essentially represent the Western versions of "domineering CEO falls in love with me." Adapting popular Chinese light novels and dramas into Western versions with attractive Western protagonists, incorporating local elements such as vampires and werewolves, has swiftly gained a foothold in the European and North American regions. It appears that the formula of the "domineering CEO" storyline enjoys widespread popularity globally.
According to media reports, in the past two months, over a dozen Chinese short drama apps have entered the European and American markets, and almost all platforms in China focusing on short dramas are expanding their presence overseas. Some predict that the outbreak of overseas short dramas will occur around the Chinese Lunar New Year, and in the coming months, we can expect to see more Chinese short drama apps making their mark internationally.
With the skyrocketing popularity of short dramas, competition among platforms is inevitable. In the current highly competitive Chinese market, expanding overseas has become a new focus for major platforms. ReelShort, as one of the pioneers, has undoubtedly paved the way for other short drama platforms, showing them a clear path forward.
