The vertical series has become inescapable online. These eye-catching
series filled with scandalous and sensationalist plots have been
bombarding everyone’s feeds. Clips from series like “True Heiress vs. Fake
Queen Bee” or “My Secret Agent Husband” have been garnering millions of
views from viewers all over the world. The series get their hooks in with
quick, digestible clips, and loud, melodramatic plots that catch the attention
of the online viewer.
The vertical series has become so prevalent that even Rolling Stone took
the time to dissect this growing sector of the entertainment industry.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Joey Jia, CEO of Crazy Maple Studios, the
operator of ReelShort, opined that, “Sooner or later, vertical video
streaming will become the next film industry in parallel.”
While Jia and his contemporaries have been working on their vertical
offerings though, the first ever branded vertical series had its start right
here on Philippine shores. The idea to utilize a narrative story in
collaboration with a major brand to generate hype and buzz has its origins
with award-winning film director and producer Christopher Cahilig, the
president of creative, production, and public relations agency Insight 360
Consultancy Services, Inc..
Cahilig and his team were the minds behind the first ever branded vertical
series in the world. “52 Weeks” was released in 2022, and was a
groundbreaking collaboration between Cahilig’s Insight 360 and retail chain
Puregold. Starring Queenay Mercado and Jin Macapagal and directed by
Lemuel Lorca, “52 Weeks” ran for 36 episodes, and garnered over 34.1
million views across its run on TikTok. In 2023, it was named the Best
Social Media Campaign by the Hashtag Asia Awards.
“People shape what the next big thing is,” said Cahilig. “When their eyes
got familiar to the vertical format of social media apps like TikTok, they
started looked for it too in narrative contents that they consume online.
That’s why we thought of creating a vertical series for these set of audience
three years ago.”
Cahilig and Puregold followed up on that success with their second vertical
series collaboration, “My Plantito,” in 2023. Starring Kych Minemoto and
Michael Ver, “My Plantito” was the first BL vertical series. Again, viewers
came out in droves, with the series run racking up over 52.4 million views.
“Our work with Puregold shows that there’s a demand for what we bring,”
said Cahilig. “And the overwhelming positive reception to the vertical series
shows that we create great brand equity for those that partner with us in
these endeavors.”
Vertical series are only the latest success for Cahilig though. Long before
the advent of TikTok and the vertical series, Cahilig has been creating viral
branded narratives. His trilogy of short films (“Pikata,” Bag,” and “Sinturon”)
made together with local leather brand McJIM went massively viral online.
“Sinturon” alone amassed over 55 million views organically, proving the
voracious demand for his content.
His ambitions in film have only grown in the years since. In the last two
years, Cahilig has been at the forefront of the Puregold CinePanalo as its
festival director, which in just two years has handed out millions in
production grants to both seasoned filmmaking veterans and up-and-
coming student directors.
Cahilig’s reach in pop culture extends beyond film as well. In the 2010s,
Cahilig co-wrote the song “Sa Isang Sulyap Mo” for his boy band 1:43, the
first PPop hit of the decade, and coining the term for the genre that would
explode in popularity in the 2020s.
Regardless of genre or medium, Cahilig and his team have remained at the
forefront of innovation and change. In an ever-shifting media landscape, his
ability to recognize and create trends has made him a force to be reckoned
with in the industry.
4/23/2025 01:24:00 AM
JENG
