JCPenney is betting on short stories — and hoping for long-term benefits.
Spanish-language media giant TelevisaUnivision has created a short-form “microdrama” for the large retailer, a story told over the course of five scripted episodes, each just 90 seconds in length. The program, which is slated to appear across Univision’s TikTok and Instagram channels and JCPenney’s own platforms, including YouTube and Pinterest, launches as the result of TU focusing more intently on entertainment in miniature for a new generation of viewers increasingly open to scrolling though quick-hit videos.
The new series is “every bit as drama-inducing as the telenovelas older generations have grown up with,” says Tim Natividad, president of U.S. advertising sales and marketing at TelevisaUnivision, during a recent interview, “but with the short-form mobile format that these millennial generations have gravitated towards today.”
JCPenney’s interest in the concept — the retailer tells a holiday-themed tale about the importance of gifts, no matter their cost — no doubt gives traditional media outlets hope they might prevail in a bite-sized battle. Quick-hit videos have fueled the rise of TikTok and Meta’s Reels, among other venues –and are something the media industry has been trying to monetize for years via efforts ranging from Quibi to Vine. Younger consumers are putting increasing focus on such outlets, which always have another video snippet at the ready. Tucking commercials into the new behavior, however, can be unwieldy.
On some platforms, the video can be obscured by an advertiser’s “overlay” graphic, which gets in front of the action on screen. And some video publishers use a format that essentially places the vignette a user was watching with a seconds-long ad.
JCPenney was interested in making a more direct connection with potential customers. “This holiday, we’re reminding people that it’s what you give, and what you get, that matters more than what you pay, especially knowing how important great value is to JCPenney customers. In partnering with TelevisaUnivision, we collaborated on a fresh way to tell that story, with particular resonance with our Hispanic audience across generations,” says Marisa Thalberg, executive vice president and chief customer and marketing officer at Catalyst Brands, which operates JCPenney and other retailers. “Whether they grew up watching telenovelas or are just discovering them now, this format gave us permission to lean into entertainment, humor and yes, a little melodrama — all while landing a point about what JCPenney has to offer.”
TeleviaUnivision has launched dozens of short-form series on its ViX streaming service, but it isn’t the only older pro entering this arena. When ESPN unveiled its much-ballyhooed new “ultimate” streaming service earlier this year, it did so along with a new interactive version of “SportsCenter” that is perfect for young sports aficionados with limited time. “SportsCenter for You” doesn’t feature anchors or intros. It serves up quick, consecutive clips — a key play, a short report from a correspondent — all narrated by Hannah Storm or handful of other ESPN personnel, boosted by A.I. ESPN calls its rapid-fire clips “verts.” Meanwhile, the new Fox One streaming service features “shorts” that let users dive into their favorite topics or programs with a series of attenuated video vignettes.
TelevisaUnivision got on the field early. During this year’s “upfront” market, the company offered sponsorships tied to a new wellspring of “microdramas”– under 30 different titles, says Natividad. “We’ll increase our investment in microcontent next year,” he says, estimating the number original projects will number “up to 100” in 2026. “We actually not only have audiences engaged in microcontent,” he says, “but brands are coming to us saying, ‘Hey, we know a trend when we see it.’” Citing internal research, he estimates the average user watches more than 20 “micros,” each just a minute long, during a typical session.
The new JCPenney series adds other elements to the mix. The program will be “shoppable,” which means viewers who see certain items during the retailer’s new series will be able to jump to a venue where they can purchase the product. The new show was developed and produced by Asi Studios, TelevisaUnivision’s branded content studio.
The company is open to doing more standard fare, including ads that roll in advance of a “micro” that streams on ViX, or during or after one. But the series that are created in bespoke fashion for the advertiser seem to have more enticing elements, including talent. The idea “has been discussed,” says Natividad, “for a few others that we are working on right now that I can’t disclose yet.” Advertisers, he says, have inquired about potentially utilizing some of the panelists from the afternoon talk show “Desiguales.”
Ad dollars attached to the growing array of microcontent come on top of any money committed during the upfront, says Natividad. “It is a nice little Easter egg for the business,” he adds. Like other media companies, TelevisaUnivision must hope Madison Avenue’s focus on content built for people with shorter attention spans has room to stretch.