Virtue Asia, V47 Entertainment & COL Group hold first dedicated upfront for microdramas in Singapore. Published on: 30th October 2026 at 9:47 AM Virtue Asia, V47 Entertainment and COL Group have unveiled a 2027 microdrama slate that combines proven audience hits, established Korean entertainment IP and original formats designed to bring brands into the stories audiences actively choose to watch. Revealed at Inside Microdramas in Singapore - the first dedicated upfront for microdramas - the portfolio spans the genres driving microdrama today, from romance, billionaire and CEO fantasy to revenge arcs and thriller-mystery hybrids, while pushing into newer territory including talent competitions and reality formats. Together, they build on the genres and storytelling mechanics that are already attracting significant audiences to microdrama, the region's fastest-growing entertainment format, while exploring where it can go next. Inside Microdramas, the world's first dedicated upfront for microdramas and the expanding vertical entertainment economy was launched to create a marketplace where brands, creators, platforms and producers can collaborate on entertainment-driven IP. The 2027 slate brings together some of COL Group's best-performing microdramas, drawing on its established catalogue and experience in vertical storytelling, alongside successful webtoons and web novels from CJ Group (Shortnapse) that are ready for adaptation into vertical formats, and original IP from V47 Entertainment developed specifically around the storytelling that make microdrama work. Highlights. Proven microdrama IP: Drawing on an established catalogue of microdramas, the slate includes 'Oops, I Married My Bestie's Brother!', one drunken Vegas wedding, one hidden identity and a groom who's been in love with her all along; 'My Sweetheart's a Gangster', after her fiancé cheats, a village doctor swears off love, then falls for a ruthless mob boss who's soft only for her; and 'From Janitor to Mrs. Billionaire', janitor Alice unknowingly marries a billionaire, only to discover he's her boss, and his secretary is determined to destroy her. International Korean IP adaptations: Successful Korean webtoons and web novels from CJ Group (Shortnapse) bring established stories and built-in adaptation potential to the vertical format. 'Idol Once Again', a failed idol gets a second shot at debut when a plane crash sends him back into his 19-year-old body, but this time with years of insider knowledge; and 'The Exclusive Secretary', an accident turns an angelic heir ruthless, and his live-in secretary becomes his closest ally in a deadly succession war. New original IP: The slate also pushes microdrama into new territory with original concepts built around participation, competition and suspense. '1% Better', two ordinary people, one fitness challenge, zero excuses. As unlikely rivals push each other to their limits, they discover that the person they wanted to beat might be the reason they finish; 'The Vanishing Act', on the night of the global live finale of the world's number one talent competition, dynamic magician Milo performs his signature act, 'The Vanishing', but never returns. The truth is the real trick; and 'Fortune Chasers', the contestants think they're playing the market. They don't realise they're the ones being traded. The 2027 lineup has been designed to empower brands to participate in microdrama entertainment in new ways, from product integration within existing properties through to becoming part of the story world, commissioning new formats or developing original IP of their own. "For too long, branded entertainment has treated content as promotion: something bought on the media plan that disappears when the campaign ends. This slate is built on a different principle, content as product, designed for attention not interruption," said David Webster, chairman of V47 Entertainment. "We're bringing brands into the writers' room, not just the media plan, so they can shape the story while it's still being written and hold a real position in what it becomes. Every property has been built with franchise potential from day one, so a marketing budget stops being a cost and starts building an asset that keeps working long after the campaign." Timothy Oh, group, global chief marketing officer and general manager of COL Group International added: "At COL Group, we've seen first-hand what makes microdramas resonate with audiences and how compelling stories can travel across markets. We see a real opportunity for brands to go beyond traditional advertising and become part of the entertainment audiences actively choose to watch. By bringing together our genre expertise and international distribution network with the creative strengths of V47 and VIRTUE, we're helping brands develop original entertainment IP that can build lasting audience connections and grow across platforms and markets." During the presentation, V47 Entertainment, COL Group and VIRTUE Asia also announced the launch of Story Engine, an end-to-end operating model leveraging the specialisms of VIRTUE Asia for cultural strategy, brand integration and content production; V47 Entertainment for entertainment development and investment; and COL Group for genre expertise and distribution. "Brands can no longer rely on interrupting culture to get noticed, they need to earn their place in it. Microdramas offer an exciting opportunity, but success depends on understanding the culture, the audience, and the storytelling that makes people want to keep watching. Our role is to bring those worlds together - translating cultural insight into creative integration that feels native to the story and adds value to the audience experience, not just visibility for the brand," said Lesley John, CEO at VIRTUE Asia. Held at Singapore's IMBA Theatre, Inside Microdramas speakers reflected the need for brands to know what they are investing for, why integration should be structural rather than cosmetic, and why greater participation in entertainment requires a different relationship with creative control. They also challenged the instinct to make microdrama behave more like traditional television. As the format continues to mature, the opportunity is to elevate the quality of writing, casting and world-building without erasing the pace, tropes, cliffhangers and serial mechanics that made audiences choose it in the first place. The evening concluded with Greenlight Sessions, connecting marketers directly with the creators, producers and strategists behind the 2027 slate. Join more than 30,000 advertising industry experts Get all the latest advertising and media news direct to your inbox from B&T.

Shannon Washington named president of VICE's VIRTUE Worldwide. Former managing partner at 11 Ounces will spearhead VIRTUE rebrand while expanding VICE's branded entertainment and sports marketing capabilities Editorial Series People moves, company launches, account wins and other business news. VICE Media has appointed award-winning creative leader, brand builder and culturist Shannon Washington as president of its creative agency known today as VIRTUE Worldwide. Shannon will report directly to VICE Media CEO Adam Stotsky. As part of her remit, Shannon will determine the future of the agency's name and how to better leverage its connection to the VICE brand across the company's wider portfolio. Her appointment signals a bold new chapter for VICE, expanding the company's capabilities in brand strategy and creating breakthrough, culturally relevant work for clients. Additionally, Shannon will be tasked with expanding the company's brand marketing via the VICE Sports brand. "We are thrilled to welcome Shannon, a rare powerhouse who blends unmatched creative vision with deep business acumen," said Adam. "She is the ideal leader to drive our agency's next phase of growth - accelerating new business and delivering provocative, ground breaking strategy and creative work that elevates our clients' brands. Beyond the agency, Shannon will help us better leverage the strength of VICE across our business units and continue to expand our VICE Sports footprint." In her new role, Shannon will work closely with Amy Powell, president of VICE Studios, to continue to build VICE's branded entertainment offering, as well as with Andrew Lerios, president of London Alley, VICE's award-winning production and creative company home to world-class and emerging directors across the globe. As part of this leadership transition, Kerry Tucker will take on the role of chief growth officer at London Alley, reporting to Andrew. "VICE has always seen where culture is headed, but there's something bigger happening here," said Shannon. "For two decades, our industry has optimised creativity out of business, leaving us with a narrow and superficial definition of what it means to be brave. Leading VICE's creative agency is an opportunity to transform a creative business and build one differently. Expanding my work in sports with the full force of VICE makes that opportunity even bigger. Ultimately, VICE is the right place to do this work because being where others aren't and doing what others won't is in this brand's DNA - a place where cultural resonance, growth, strategy and provocation are the same conversation. I'm excited to help brands take meaningful risks, create cultural impact and leave a mark." Renowned for transforming creative organisations and building culture-shifting brands, Shannon brings a track record of connecting creative ambition to business growth. Most recently, as managing partner of 11 Ounces, she elevated the studio into a creative and consulting powerhouse at the intersection of sports, entertainment and brand storytelling - advising athletes, leagues, teams and brands including the WNBA, New York Liberty and PUMA on creative strategy, content and experiences. VICE is also establishing a strategic partnership with 11 Ounces to pursue its VICE Sports marketing efforts, with Washington continuing to serve as an Advisory Partner for the company. Previously, as global chief creative officer at Gotham/McCann Worldgroup, Shannon transformed the 30-year-old beauty specialist into a broader creative business, expanding its capabilities, categories and revenue opportunities. Under her leadership, the agency earned its first Webby and Clio Awards while expanding beyond its traditional beauty remit. Before that, as US chief creative officer at R/GA, Washington reshaped the agency's flagship office through the pandemic, improving retention and leading a series of significant new business wins, including Uber, Sephora and TurboTax - the second-largest win in IPG in 2023. Throughout her career, Shannon has developed new models for creative organisations, advised leaders on creative operations and brought an interdisciplinary perspective spanning sports, beauty, finance and culture. She is a two-time Cannes Lions Jury President and has been named Ad Age's CCO of the Year, an Adweek Creative 100 honouree and one of Fast Company's Most Creative People in Business. Adam continued, "I'm deeply grateful to Kerry Tucker for her outstanding leadership at VIRTUE and for positioning the business for its next stage of growth. I'm also excited about her new executive role at London Alley, where she will continue to serve as a bridge across VICE, ensuring we offer clients a comprehensive suite of brand marketing solutions - from strategy and creative advertising to branded entertainment and commercial production, and vice versa."

VIRTUE Asia creates Toyota's 'Move Your World Beat' to connect Asia through music. August 11 2026, 9:07 am BY Adam Shaw No Comments VIRTUE Asia has launched a new campaign, Move Your World Beat, for Toyota Motor Asia, extending the Move Your World brand platform with a regional celebration of musical creativity. Building on Move Your World's belief in progress and empowerment, 'Move Your World Beat' carries that vision forward, from celebrating movement to inspiring collective progress through the universal language of music, bridging heritage and innovation. More than a campaign, 'Move Your World Beat' is a living platform, one where Toyota builds the stage and lets Asia's creators lead. This is where music becomes the medium, and the communities behind it become the message. At its heart, 'Move Your World Beat' brings together Asia's established creatives and emerging artists to collaborate, experiment and empower the next generation to express their culture through contemporary music. 'Move Your World Beat' has launched through a TikTok-led creator programme and brings together a broad group of artists including Malaysia's multi-instrumentalist and DJ Belle Sisoski, Pakistan's musician and ethnomusicologist Natasha Noorani, Philippines's Miguel Benjamin and Paolo Benjamin from indie folk pop band Ben&Ben, Singaporean indie singer-songwriter and producer Shye, Thai-Italian singer-songwriter Valentina Ploy, and Vietnam's music producer and DJ 2pillz. Tasked to produce original music using the sounds of a Toyota, from subtle clicks and ambient hums to engineered tones, the sounds are reimagined through each artist's unique style. By transforming the functional sounds of a vehicle into creative expression it highlights the idea that movement is not just physical, but cultural and emotional. Each track becomes a reflection of both individual artistry and common identity, contributing to a larger body of work that celebrates Asia's diversity while uniting it through music. 'Move Your World Beat' then extends to the production and launch of a regional collective beat, where the musical talents of the artists from six countries come together for a regional collaboration that resonates across Asia, to be released later this year. Jonathan Tan, account director at VIRTUE Asia, said: "By leveraging TikTok and engaging musical creators, Move Your World Beat is a brand platform built for cultural participation and collaboration that enables Toyota to connect with the region's large youth population, while giving back to the community in meaningful ways. Instead of speaking at audiences, we're creating a system where culture is co-created to build a living cultural ecosystem that evolves through shared ownership." Jaja Ishibashi, general manager at Toyota Motor Asia, added: "At its heart, Move Your World is about Toyota's commitment to the communities in Asia, the freedom to move, and the thrill and joy of moving forward together. With Move Your World Beats, we bring that same spirit to music, a universal language that unites our communities and moves us all a little closer. By supporting creators and bringing different voices together, we hope to inspire new forms of expression and show that when we move together, we can create something greater than any one of us could achieve alone."