ReelShort, the U.S.-based microdrama app that has become one of the format’s global leaders, has struck a distribution deal with Globe, a major Philippine telecom operator. The pact is ReelShort’s second Southeast Asian carrier tie-up in two months, as it aggressively pursues the region’s mobile-first audiences. The partnership, unveiled at the APOS conference in Bali, will fold ReelShort’s library of soapy, bite-sized dramas into Globe’s offering for Filipino customers.
Globe, whose principal shareholders are the Philippines’ Ayala Corp. and Singapore’s Singtel, will open ReelShort up to its subscribers in a market that consistently ranks among the world’s heaviest users of mobile internet. The deal was brokered by AR Global Media Network, which ReelShort has named its exclusive distribution representative in Southeast Asia.
The Globe pact echoes ReelShort’s first moves in the region in April, when it teamed with Thailand’s AIS — bundling a co-branded, steeply discounted subscription into the carrier’s mobile plans. For a service built on impulse viewing, telco deals buy instant reach and built-in billing in price-sensitive markets where persuading users to sign up directly can be hard. In Thailand, the AIS add-on was priced at about $1 a month, against ReelShort’s standard rate of roughly $17.50.
