The Micro Pitch: Why Brands Are Flocking to Microseries

At this year’s Cannes Lions, ultra-shortform vertical shows will roar as a buzzy medium for marketers

By Todd Spangler

Todd Spangler

NY Digital Editor

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A waitress from small-town Ohio is unwittingly ensnared in her jet-setting twin sister’s international jewelry heist scheme — and ends up falling for the dashing Interpol agent who’s tracking down her kidnapped sibling. The end!

OK, the story isn’t quite that rapid fire. But that’s the gist of “The Golden Pear Affair,” a “microsoap” that runs 50 episodes, most clocking in at under two minutes, produced by P&G. The show, which debuted online earlier this year, is meant to entertain. But it also functions as an 80-minute ad for Native, P&G’s personal-care line that includes deodorants and body wash, which makes cameo appearances throughout the narrative, starting with the brand’s Japanese Golden Pear scent.

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