Daniel Lares on ViX MicrO’s First Anniversary: “Beyond Volume, We Offer a Creative Studio for Original IPs”

Although microdramas originated in Asia, where success is largely driven by volume, Daniel Lares, Head of Content & Production at ViX MicrO and director of the tlnovelas channel, believes that ViX MicrO’s first year has demonstrated that the format’s strongest asset lies in creative value, high production quality, and the development of original intellectual properties from the ground up.

“TelevisaUnivision became the first major media company across the Americas—from Alaska to Patagonia—to make a firm commitment to microdramas and to develop its own industrial production model, naturally supported by TelevisaUnivision’s extensive production expertise,” Lares told PRODU.

He explained that, for the company, “the microdrama, or micro-soap opera, is a blend of indie, amateur, and professional storytelling.”

Lares noted that ViX MicrO has already produced more than 140 projects, nearly 90 of which have premiered. The goal is to reach 300 productions by 2027.

“We’re shooting two, three, and sometimes even four microdramas per week, and very few companies can match that production pace. This business competes on volume, but for us the emphasis is also on creative value. Building this machine from scratch has been an exciting and fascinating challenge, as has changing people’s mindset to understand that these stories are created from the ground up. They’re not chopped-up telenovelas or short films. Of course, you draw inspiration from many references, but these projects have to be conceived and written from scratch.”

He added that successful IPs will soon begin receiving second seasons.

“Asian producers generally don’t believe in second seasons for microdramas, but we’re already preparing to produce them,” he said.

A POOL OF 60 WRITERS

According to Lares, another key differentiator is that, beyond producing content at scale, “ViX MicrO is building a creative studio. We’re developing scripts with a pool of around 60 writers.”

He explained that some producers and writers have approached the company hoping to create the kind of projects they cannot make in long-form streaming.

“We tell them, ‘This isn’t the place for that. That’s not how this format works.’ Based on TelevisaUnivision’s long tradition of producing telenovelas—and now validated by our experience—we know that the genre audiences want to consume in this format is melodrama.”

Lares acknowledged that not every experienced telenovela writer has been able to adapt.

“Some have made the transition successfully, while others haven’t. There are also writers who, for one reason or another, never succeeded on their own because telenovelas are typically written by teams, and now they’re thriving with us as solo writers. That’s interesting. We also have a new generation of writers. We’re already seeing the first generation of writers who are true ViX MicrO natives, and perhaps they’ll eventually make the reverse transition.”

He emphasized another major advantage TelevisaUnivision offers.

“Unlike the Asian apps, which are technology companies that later moved into production, we are a media company that produces content. ViX MicrO is becoming an entry funnel for IP, content, artistic talent, writers, and production professionals. People join through a platform that already reaches millions of viewers, but then they also have access to broadcast television, pay TV, streaming, and a film studio like Videocine. No other company offers that. The opportunities within this unique ecosystem are unlike anything else. Here, talent has entirely different opportunities to scale both their content and their careers.”

THE EXPERIENCE OF TRANSFORMING TLNOVELAS

Lares said his work transforming the tlnovelas channel provided a valuable foundation for ViX MicrO.

“tlnovelas is the leading pay-TV channel in its category. We proved that an archive channel, by embracing technology and adopting a different programming strategy influenced by the digital and streaming worlds, could do much more than simply survive. When we began the channel’s deep rebranding and transformation in late 2018, many questioned the strategy. But by the time the channel celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023, it had reached first place in audience ratings for the first time.”

He said one of the most significant achievements was rejuvenating the audience.

“Years ago, the core audience was women aged 50 and older. By 2023, 60% of viewers were under the age of 45. That required a comprehensive digital strategy. We didn’t view digital as merely a showcase or an extension of our linear content, but as a complete ecosystem with its own language and dynamics depending on the platform. On YouTube, within less than a year, we had already reached 10 million subscribers. We learned a great deal from that experience.”

THE CHALLENGE IS MONETIZATION

Lares said the company has developed a highly competitive production model. “We have a system that continues to improve, but it’s already very clear and well-defined in terms of where the business is headed and how to execute it. Our biggest challenge now is monetization: getting more people to discover our content, watch it, enjoy our projects, and stay until the end of each episode. That’s extremely important, whether there’s a paywall or not.”

He explained that this is one of the reasons ViX MicrO content is available free of charge.

“Strategically, our content is free because we’re not just interested in having people watch a microdrama. We want to become the number one player in this format in our market, just as we have been with telenovelas in the Spanish-speaking world.”

The goal is to continue increasing both overall views and viewership for each individual microdrama.

Lares noted that ViX MicrO is available on both ViX’s AVOD and SVOD tiers.

“If you watch through the free service, you’ll see ads inserted every few episodes. We’re learning a great deal about user behavior through that experience.”

He added that the business is already beginning to generate returns.

“For example, A Un Gol del Paraíso, starring Aldo and Elaine, was a huge success, generating nearly 8 million views in its first week alone. It also featured two sponsors—Bimbo and Banorte—integrated organically into the story, which is very important because it shouldn’t feel like the kind of product placement seen on broadcast television.”

He also revealed that major brands are increasingly embracing the format.

“This week we premiered Nido de Villanas, a production sponsored by Apple. It’s available on the app, and the script was created by ViX MicrO’s in-house writing team. Imagine that—brands like Apple are already placing their trust in us. Why? Because they see potential beyond the media buzz. They see seriousness, a long-term vision, and our goal is not just to meet expectations but to exceed them. This is a gradual process.”