iWorld
Mullen Lintas wins creative mandate of Viacom 18’s VOOT
MUMBAI As it gears up for the consumer launch of its advertising led VOD platform VOOT, Viacom18 has appointed Mullen Lintas, the advertising agency of the Mullen Lowe Lintas Group as its creative partner.
The agency’s mandate would be to provide strategic recommendations pertaining to marketing and promotion of the brand and also provide ideas that go beyond conventional advertising.
Commenting on the appointment, Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gaurav Gandhi said, “As we set out to launch a new brand in this space, we needed a creative partner who could not only help in building a distinct positioning for VOOT, but also bring-to-life key facets of our product and content proposition in the campaigns. Our choice for Mullen Lintas is not only because of the fantastic credentials of the agency, but also the very deep consumer insights and creative edge that the team brings with it.”
Expressing his views on the immense scope that the brand presents, Mullen Lintas chairman and CCO Amer Jaleel said, “We are delighted to partner Viacom 18 for their high-decibel launch of VOOT. Time and place are no longer the deciding factors for accessing entertainment. This is the future of entertainment and we have no doubt that VOOT will play a big role in shaping this category. We are committed towards creating magic for the brand VOOT.”
On winning the new mandate, Mullen Lintas CEO Virat Tandon said, “Technology is changing the way people are consuming content. Video on demand is the next big leap after the remote control. It’s a super exciting space and an opportunity to create the next big entertainment brand in this new tech world. Also exciting is the opportunity to work with some remarkable bunch of people at Viacom 18.”
VOOT is a digital video entertainment platform launching with over 17,000 hours of content (across languages and genres) including the biggest TV shows, Kids content and films. This will be supplemented by fresh and original web series, Digital films and other original content created only for VOOT.
Content on VOOT will be classified based on genres such as reality, comedy, drama, kids and other segments and has been formatted based on a year’s research on what people watch on digital video platforms.
iWorld
Micro-Dramas Surge in India, Redefining Mobile Content Habits
Meta-Ormax study maps rapid rise of short-form storytelling among 18–44 audiences.
MUMBAI: Micro-dramas aren’t just short, they’re the snack that ate Indian entertainment, and now everyone’s bingeing between the sofa cushions. Meta, in partnership with Ormax Media, has released ‘Micro Dramas: The India Story’, a comprehensive study unveiled at the inaugural Meta Marketing Summit: Micro-Drama Edition. The report maps how the vertical, bite-sized format is reshaping content consumption for mobile-first audiences aged 18–44 across 14 states.
Conducted between November 2025 and January 2026 through 50 in-depth interviews and 2,000 personal surveys, the research reveals that 65 per cent of viewers discovered micro-dramas within the last year proof of explosive adoption. Nearly 89 per cent encounter the format through social feeds and recommendations, making algorithm-driven discovery the primary engine rather than active search.
Key viewing patterns show a median of 3.5 hours per week (about 30 minutes daily) spread across 7–8 short sessions. Consumption peaks between 8 pm and midnight, with additional spikes during commutes and work breaks classic “in-between moments” that the format fills perfectly. Around 57 per cent of viewing happens in ambient mode (while doing something else), and 90 per cent is solo, enabling more intimate, personal storytelling.
Romance, family drama and comedy lead genre preferences. Audiences show growing openness to AI-generated content, 47 per cent find it unique and creative, while only 6 per cent say they would avoid it entirely. Regional languages are surging after Hindi and English, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada dominate consumption.
Meta, director, media & entertainment (India) Shweta Bajpai said, “Micro-drama isn’t a passing trend, it’s rewriting the rules of Indian entertainment. In under a year, an entirely new category of platforms has emerged, built audience habits from scratch, and created a business vertical that is scaling fast.”
Ormax Media founder-CEO Shailesh Kapoor added, “Micro-dramas are beginning to show the early signs of becoming a distinct content category in India’s digital entertainment landscape. When a format aligns closely with how audiences naturally engage with their devices, it has the potential to scale very quickly.”
The study proposes ecosystem-wide responsibility, universal signposting of commercial intent, shared accountability among advertisers, platforms, creators, schools and parents, built-in safeguards, and formal media literacy in schools.
In a feed that never sleeps and a day that never stops, micro-dramas have slipped into the cracks of every spare minute turning 30-second stories into the new national pastime, one vertical swipe at a time.
