How luxury brands can capitalize on China’s micro-drama boom

This is Part 2 of a two-part series on branded mirco-dramas. Read Part 1 for insights on the industry’s transformation. In the logic of digital culture, attention follows traffic. According to the China Online Audiovisual Development Research Report, as of December 2024, the user base for micro-dramas had reached 662 million, accounting for 59.7% of the country’s internet population. With such a vast audience and high-efficiency reach, short-form dramas are rapidly becoming an increasingly strategic medium for contemporary brand marketing. A number of beauty and skincare labels have already moved early, tapping into the custom short drama trend as a new form of consumer engagement. Among them, perhaps the most notable case is that of Chinese brand Kans, whose recent rise exemplifies how local players are using the format to reshape their image and reach. Kans: From forgotten to phenomenon In 2023, Chinese skincare brand Kans partnered with Douyin influencer Jiang Shiqi to launch five custom mirco-dramas, each tailored to resonate with professional women. By crafting narratives centered on modern, independent female protagonists, the series struck a chord with a large female audience. The product integration was subtle but deliberate, helping to drive a surge in sales. Before its embrace of short-form storytelling, Kans had largely faded from public view, often seen as a dated brand. But by aligning itself with the booming short drama trend, it managed a striking resurgence. In 2023, Kans topped Douyin’s beauty category rankings. By H1 2024, it had maintained the No. 1 spot for six consecutive months, becoming the platform’s first beauty label to reach an annual GMV (gross merchandise volume) of 6 billion RMB ($830 million). International brands take note Perhaps taking note of the momentum Kans generated through short-form storytelling, a growing number of international skincare brands have begun to experiment with custom dramas of their own. In 2024, Helena Rubinstein released a mini-series titled You Shine Brighter Than the Stars, while SK-II launched Legally Pink, a legal drama with a playful edge. According to Echo Kuo, Vice President of Commercial Affairs at Silvery Earth, a studio involved in the production of several viral short dramas, “The idea of branded short-form dramas actually began taking shape as early as 2022. In addition to the multiple projects we developed for Kans, our team has now created custom dramas for 20 to 30 brands. “Global names like L’Oréal and Estée Lauder are also exploring how short-form narratives can go beyond surface-level promotion, toward deeper emotional storytelling and more meaningful consumer connection.” Platform-led commerce integration More notably, during this year’s 618 shopping festival, major digital platforms including Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote), Tmall, JD.com, and Douyin entered the short drama space with self-produced series aimed at capturing users’ attention. Take JD.com’s short drama His Bodyguard Secretary released on short video social media platform Kuaishou. The series integrates promotional triggers at key narrative moments, such as “scan to enter livestream,” or “the CEO sends digital red envelopes” — blurring the line between entertainment and commerce. Viewers were able to jump directly into shopping experiences without leaving the story, creating a loop between content and transaction. JD.com also released a sci-fi themed short drama, Reborn: Agent in the AI World, which embeds smart home appliances into the storyline. As users watch, they are subtly introduced to products, turning passive viewing into a path to purchase. How luxury brands should enter the game As major platforms turn to short-form dramas to capture user attention and shape consumer perception, the question emerges: should luxury brands enter the arena as well? And if so, how can they carve out a narrative space that aligns with their identity in this fast-paced, high-frequency content environment? “For luxury brands, the question isn’t whether to participate, but how,” says Dong Haining, founder of Haidong Films (嗨懂影视), which produces micro-dramas. “The key is to engage in a way that honors the brand’s aesthetic values. That means putting craft and visual storytelling first, working with top-tier creative teams, and ensuring that rhythm, tone, and cultural context are fully aligned with the brand’s DNA. Done right, short dramas can become a powerful vehicle for brands to reach younger audiences, share meaningful narratives, and express brand spirit in a more emotionally resonant way.” Strategic considerations The challenge now is identifying the right point of entry, one that integrates into the logic of short-form storytelling without diluting brand identity. Before investing in production, luxury labels must be clear about their core objective. Is it to build cultural relevance, increase awareness, or educate consumers about specific products? Each goal demands a different content strategy. Only with clarity of intent can short dramas evolve into brand assets with both narrative value and measurable impact. Kuo points to the example of a custom short drama created for Helena Rubinstein. “The brand already has a solid user base in first-tier cities, so the goal wasn’t visibility — it was to reach a broader mainstream audience and communicate the value of the Black Bandage’ cream,” he says. “Through the storyline, we were able to naturally highlight the skincare benefits of its high-concentration Pro-Xylane formula, sparking interest and, ultimately, conversion.” Path to emotional connection In an era when luxury brands are increasingly challenged to de-mystify themselves, reconnecting with younger audiences through accessible, emotionally resonant language has become a critical task. “I know some of the plots are unrealistic, but that quick-hit format gives me the emotional payoff I’m looking for,” says Amy Wang, a Shanghai-based consultant. Her viewing habits reflect a growing trend among urban professionals, who turn to short dramas as an emotional release valve in the midst of hectic schedules. “Many short drama actors come from non-celebrity backgrounds, which makes it easier for them to build emotional resonance with viewers,” says Joie Zhou, a former fashion publicist and now a business manager at Haidong Films. “That sense of relatability can soften the traditionally aloof image of luxury brands, infusing them with a sense of freshness and making them feel more accessible — especially to Chinese consumers.” Future of brand storytelling Imagine, then, if one day the story of Coco Chanel were reimagined as a short-form series. Could it bring new meaning to a century-old brand in the eyes of a younger generation? Perhaps, during a subway commute or a late-night scroll, a two-minute scene is all it takes to draw someone into the world of Chanel. And maybe, that moment of unexpected connection is exactly where the battle for a new generation’s brand loyalty begins. As the short drama ecosystem evolves from entertainment curiosity to marketing necessity, luxury brands face a choice: embrace this new storytelling medium or risk being left behind in an increasingly crowded attention economy. The question is no longer whether brands should participate, but how quickly they can adapt their narratives to this decidedly modern format.

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How luxury brands can capitalize on China’s micro-drama boom