LOS ANGELES, Dec. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Native, a clean beauty and personal care brand, P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble, and dentsu Entertainment, a division of dentsu, today announced the first brand co-produced feature-length “microsoap” in the US. The social-first, short-form scripted series, “The Golden Pear Affair,” produced by Pixie USA, reimagines the classic soap opera for the vertical, mobile-first era. Designed for today’s swipe savvy audiences, the new “microsoap” format delivers fast-paced storytelling with cliff-hangers and character arcs in bite-sized episodes. With 50 episodes, this microsoap tells a complete, cinematic story that mirrors the scope of a feature-length film. From its groundbreaking origins in radio soap operas to today’s contemporary hits such as Beyond the Gates (CBS), P&G and partners continue to lead the evolution of the soap genre.

The trailer for Native’s “The Golden Pear Affair” will premiere in January 2026, with the series launching shortly thereafter across leading social platforms, before expanding to a proprietary app experience. Viewers can expect a thrilling adventure-romance that elevates the vertical series experience while staying true to Native's authentic voice. Starring Nick Ritacco and Aloyna Real, two leading microdrama actors with significant fan bases, the story explores themes of self discovery, travel, adventure, love and recognizing your own worth. The initial rollout will focus on North America and aligns with Native’s newest limited edition collection which will be available on nativecos.com and Target starting in late December 2025. This collection - Global Flavors - features fragrances inspired by locations from around the globe to take you on an indulgent adventure without having to leave your shower or bathroom. These scents and Native’s commitment to clean formulas, inspired the film’s overall plot line and key moments taking you on a whirlwind romantic adventure.

Bringing together Native, P&G Studios, and Pixie USA, dentsu Entertainment shaped the project across creative and development to tell a story that brings to life Native’s charismatic brand personality and its clean and effective beauty products—all centered around the brand’s message that you deserve better, you deserve clean products that actually work.

Microdamas–a.k.a. vertical mini-series–have rapidly evolved into a global entertainment phenomenon, projected to generate $11B in global revenue in 2025, with the U.S. emerging as the largest market outside of China. This surge underscores the format’s scale, opportunity and momentum.

Dentsu is not just participating, it’s shaping the future of this space, with Dentsu Ventures recently investing in innovators like Emole, a short drama app developer, reinforcing a commitment to next-generation storytelling platforms. This strategic investment complements dentsu Entertainment’s integrated approach to branded content and IP development, positioning dentsu as a leading player in the creator economy and vertical video formats. This project is the latest in dentsu Entertainment and P&G Studio’s ongoing partnership having co-released numerous original content pieces including the “Culture of Winning: Polynesian Football Pride” documentary earlier this year, and the Sports Emmy-nominated “The Cost of Winning” docu-series.

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“At P&G Studios, we’re dedicated to enhancing how consumers engage with our brands,” said Anna Saalfeld, Head of P&G Studios. “This microsoap showcases our commitment to innovation as we strive to delight consumers while fueling growth for Native. By blending classic brand storytelling with the ever-evolving landscape of mobile entertainment, we’re honoring the soap opera format P&G helped pioneer and optimizing it for a vertical, social-first world.”

“We’re excited to bring Native into the world of entertainment with this 'microsoap' series inspired by our Global Flavors collection. Just like our scents take you on a journey around the world, without leaving your bathroom, this series follows characters on their own adventure of self-discovery and confidence. We’re always looking for innovative ways to meet our consumers where they are, and this social-first series is the perfect format for storytelling. It’s the perfect canvas to showcase how the right scent can be transformative—whether you’re exploring new places or finding yourself. We can’t wait for viewers to spot the fun nods to the collection woven throughout the storyline,” said Chris Talbott, Native CEO.

“Dentsu has always stood for innovation, finding new ways to reach audiences and connecting brands through fandom,” said Geneva Wasserman, global EVP of Entertainment IP Strategy & Investment, dentsu. “Microdramas are taking the world by storm, and extending dentsu’s position in this rapidly growing format in partnership with the incredible teams at P&G and Pixie USA, is a natural fit. Brands like Native are making fast moves, committing to short, intense production cycles and testing out new ways to reach their customers – they are the gold standard in ambitious brand content.”

“Microdramas are the natural evolution of the soap opera, a format pioneered by P&G decades ago,” said Jonas Barnes, Founder of Pixie USA, a microdrama Studio for Brands with Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. “Now, we’re proud to carry that torch into a new era with Native—one of the most innovative brands in hair and personal care. Together, we’re defining the future of entertainment-led marketing.”

About Native

Founded in 2015, Native is a personal care company that makes clean and effective products from naturally derived ingredients, including deodorant, body wash, body lotion, hand soap, toothpaste, shampoo, and conditioner. For more information, visit www.nativecos.com or you can follow Native on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

About P&G Studios

P&G Studios develops and produces powerful stories and compelling narratives, to foster relevant connections where P&G brands fit naturally. P&G Studios has been a driving force behind projects like Beyond the Gates (CBS), Culture of Winning: Polynesian Football Pride (Tubi), Oscar ® Shortlisted Coded: The Hidden Love of J.C. Leyendecker (Paramount+), A Radical Act: Renee Montgomery (Roku), Fair Play (Hulu), TIME Women of the Year, the powerful Queen Collective Films (BET), and the launch of the Seneca Women’s Podcast Network. P&G Studios, in addition to being one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, is one of the many innovative ways the Procter & Gamble Company serves consumers around the world. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.

About dentsu Entertainment

Dentsu Entertainment is the specialist entertainment division of dentsu, and part of the global dentsu Sports & Entertainment practice. Dedicated to developing, financing, producing, and marketing content that creates cultural connections, dentsu entertainment delivers value for audiences, rights holders and brand partners. Its work spans film, TV, anime, gaming, and emerging formats, leveraging innovative commercial models and global creative expertise to shape stories that drive the cultural conversation and resonate across platforms.

Current slate highlights include The Angry Birds Movie: 3 (with Rovio, Flywheel Media, and Paramount Pictures) – releasing January 2027; and Ball Games – an all-new animated feature in partnership with PGA of America and producer John Cohen (Despicable Me, The Angry Birds Movie).

These projects reflect dentsu’s commitment to IP investment and entertainment innovation, connecting fans of world-class content to the brands they love.

About dentsu
Dentsu is an integrated growth and transformation partner to the world’s leading organizations. Founded in 1901 in Tokyo, Japan, and now present in approximately 120 countries and regions, it has a proven track record of nurturing and developing innovations, combining the talents of its global network of leadership brands to develop impactful and integrated growth solutions for clients. Dentsu delivers end-to-end experience transformation (EX) by integrating its services across Media, CXM and Creative, while its business transformation (BX) mindset pushes the boundaries of transformation and sustainable growth for brands, people and society.

Dentsu, Innovating to Impact.

Find out more: www.dentsu.com / www.group.dentsu.com

About Pixie USA

Pixie USA, launched in 2025 and based in Atlanta, is a microdrama studio specializing in premium, brand-friendly vertical storytelling. Founded by producer Jonas Barnes, the studio develops and produces cinematic microdramas with brands embedded directly into the narrative. Positioned at the forefront of Hollywood’s shift toward mobile-native, serialized content, Pixie USA is redefining how audiences engage with entertainment—and how brands become part of the story.

www.pixieusa.com

Contact:
Matt Cross matt.cross@dentsu.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1d7f98f6-d0a5-4493-aaf0-a5db98d2c0e9