Plus: Microsoft cuts 2.1% of its workforce, shares memo online; The Boston Globe takes it back to 1776 with special edition of paper.
I was scrolling Facebook the other day when I found myself sucked into this strange ad for some kind of Korean skincare. I was probably eight minutes in – yes, I really stared at my screen for the entirety of this thing – before I actually realized it was an ad.
As it turns out, this is a very specific kind of ad format called a microdrama.
Brands are piling into the short, cliffhanger-heavy vertical videos built for TikTok-style viewing. Think soap opera, but chopped into mini episodes with faster turns, lower budgets and more product placement. The one I watched was an animation, likely AI-generated.
Marketing Dive reports a wave of recent brand experiments from Crocs, Dr Pepper, JCPenney, Marc Jacobs, P&G and Maybelline.
Crocs’ “Charmed to Meet You,” built around Jibbitz charms, drew nearly 10 million views and led to a sequel, the outlet reports. JCPenney’s Spanish-language micronovela with TelevisaUnivision drove more than 16 million impressions and 5.6 million video views.
The appeal is pretty obvious. Microdramas are cheaper and faster to make than traditional branded entertainment, and they fit how people already watch video on social. Plus they’re super engaging.
As Crocs CMO Carly Gomez said, “What’s exciting about microdramas is that they allow us to tell richer, more emotional stories — ones that create connection and build brand love, not just awareness.”
Why it matters: Microdramas work because they give people a reason to keep watching. They’re fun. They’re soapy. They’re totally entertaining. But it has to fit naturally. The product can be part of the story, but it can’t be the whole story.
While some argue that the format is a fad, others believe brands should take advantage of this new, compelling way to tell brand stories that not only reach new audiences, but build deeper brand loyalty through channels people are already watching.
When a brand has a personality that can support this kind of storytelling, it can use microdramas to drive engagement.
As AJ Pulvirenti, associate strategy director at Mekanism, put it, microdramas “may create a long-tailed community of people that see your brand as something more than just a product and something that they can identify with.”
Why is Microsoft cutting 2.1% of its workforce?
Microsoft is cutting about 4,800 jobs, including major reductions across sales and Xbox, as it tries to lower costs and reshape parts of the business that are under pressure.
Business Insider reports that the Xbox layoffs are especially significant. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said the company will cut about 3,200 roles through 2027.
In a memo, shared with employees and publicly on its site, Sharma used blunt language, saying: “When I stepped into this role, I promised to communicate more openly with you and share the ‘why’ behind our decisions.” She went on to explain that Xbox’s business “is not healthy,” adding how and why they arrived where they are.
It’s a long and detailed note that acknowledges some tough realities while taking an empathetic tone. Sharing the memo publicly lets Microsoft control the first full version of the story. Instead of employees leaking the layoffs through a Reddit post, Microsoft put the full explanation on display, which makes the announcement feel transparent and boosts their credibility.
Layoffs are never fun. But owning the decision with clear language, transparency and empathy is always the right move.
Has The Boston Globe traveled back in time?
The Boston Globe marked America’s 250th anniversary by pretending the internet existed in 1776.
Nieman Lab reports the outlet created a sepia-toned Boston Daily Globe homepage with Revolutionary-era news written in the style of the time, including coverage of the Declaration of Independence, war updates, smallpox inoculation, tavern recommendations and even a correction styled in 18th-century language: “We must correct a most unfortunate error: An earlier version of this story said a British official described John Adams as ‘incendiary.’ In fact, the official maligned Samuel Adams. We apologize, with reddened faces.”
The project also extended beyond the site with a July 3 print edition that included a four-page wrap styled like an old-timey newspaper, and the Globe said the series would run through the end of July.
This is such a cool brand move. Obviously, Boston has major cultural and historical significance to America’s foundation, so it makes perfect sense that this is the way to join the celebrations.
When brands can find creative and unique ways to tie themselves to major cultural moments, especially when it already feels natural, it draws attention. It’s fun. And it creates an opportunity for greater engagement. We doth approve!
How are Walmart and CVS helping healthcare patients?
Medicare recently began covering certain weight-loss drugs for eligible beneficiaries through a temporary program called the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge. CNBC reports it gives eligible patients access to select drugs for a $50 monthly copay. But the eligibility requirements are a little confusing.
This is where Walmart, Sam’s Club and CVS saw an opportunity. They turned their pharmacists into translators.
Walmart and Sam’s Club said they would offer educational materials, one-on-one pharmacist consultations, help finding resources, digital tools and in-store support across 5,000 locations.
“We’re leveraging our trusted healthcare professionals, those pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and just bringing in everyday convenience at a national scale that very few organizations can match,” Walmart’s Kevin Host told the outlet.
CVS said it would participate in the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program and offer pharmacist guidance throughout the whole process.
The companies managed to turn a confusing federal health change into a service moment. These brands are helping fill a gap when people may be overwhelmed by all the rules, which not only makes it simpler for the patients, it helps build trust in the brand.
Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at courtneyb@ragan.com.
The post The Scoop: Microdramas give brands a new way into entertainment culture appeared first on PR Daily.
