COL Group taps Narativ Media to drive regional micro-drama growth

COL Group has appointed UAE-based Narativ Media as the official distributor across the MENA, Africa and CIS regions, in a move that signals a push to expand premium vertical content distribution in high-growth emerging markets. The announcement was made during MIP London.

A key part of this expansion is an exclusive global distribution agreement with new Dubai-based microdrama platform BlingWood, providing COL Group wider access to premium Middle Eastern and Indian micro-drama content, according to a report by Variety.

COL Group is a publicly listed Chinese media and entertainment company with more than 20 years of experience in content development, production and IP management.

The agreement goes beyond traditional content sales, positioning Narativ at the forefront of building a structured micro-drama distribution infrastructure across the three territories. The company will lead market development efforts, forge platform and broadcaster partnerships, and establish digital monetisation frameworks tailored to regions experiencing rapid growth in mobile-first viewing and increasing demand for short-form, high-engagement storytelling.

The mandate includes regional distribution of COL Group’s high-performing and expanding vertical micro-drama catalog of more than 1,700 titles, along with AI-driven animation assets and other next-generation digital content from what is described as the world’s largest structured micro-drama ecosystem.

Speaking about the deal, Manjyot Sandhu, CEO and Co-Founder, Narativ Media, said: “Micro-dramas are reshaping global viewing habits, particularly across mobile-first markets like MENA, Africa and CIS. Our appointment as official distributor for COL Group in these territories reflects Narativ’s strategy to build sustainable distribution architecture, A key pillar of the collaboration includes integration with FlareFlow, enabling strategic telco partnerships, bundled carrier offerings, and alternative monetisation pathways designed to accelerate scale across mobile ecosystems and OTT platforms.”

Timothy Oh, General Manager, COL Group International, added: “We are building more than a content slate- we are building the global infrastructure for micro-drama. With hundreds of new titles launching every quarter, scale and regional strength are critical. Narativ with its deep foothold in MENA, Africa, CIS and other key markets makes them a natural strategic partner as we expand FlareFlow and bring micro-drama to new platforms, telcos and audiences.”