POOLSIDE: The Pool Industry's First Micro-Series

The Trend

Brands are becoming entertainment companies

Microdramas are short-form scripted series, 60 to 90 seconds per episode, designed for mobile. The format generated $7 billion in China in 2024, surpassing its entire domestic box office. Now it's gone global, and brands are commissioning entire series instead of buying ads.

$26B

Projected by 2030

Global micro-drama revenues are forecast to reach $26 billion by 2030, up from $11 billion today. The US market alone is on track for $3.8 billion.

$7.8B

2026 In-App Revenue

Deloitte forecasts $7.8 billion in micro-series in-app revenue for 2026, more than doubling from 2025. One in five of 2025's most downloaded entertainment apps is a microdrama app.

300+

Active Brand Advertisers

Over 300 advertisers were active in micro-drama marketing globally by mid-2025. Monthly ad creatives in the format surged 275% year over year.

"Brands can either rent attention through advertising, or own attention by financing entertainment itself."

Huiwen Tow, Head of VIRTUE Asia

Brands already doing it

KFC

13-episode series on Douyin. Over 1.4 billion views. Weekend meal deals tied directly to episode drops.

Starbucks

Six-episode series. 1.35 million new customers acquired. Overtook Luckin Coffee as Douyin's top beverage brand.

Maybelline

Five-part holiday microdrama with Lacey Chabert across TikTok, YouTube, and ReelShort. Paid media on Peacock and Hallmark.

Procter & Gamble

55-episode microsoap for Native brand, described as the first feature-length branded microdrama in the US. February 2026.

The Concept

Poolside: a five-part micro-series

The premise

It's the most dramatic pool hunt in Florida history. Two retired couples, one pair of iguanas and one pair of storks, are searching for the perfect poolside paradise. They've got gold chains, oversized sunglasses, and opinions that could fill an ocean. The storks fly the iguanas from house to house. Every visit ends in chaos.

Shot like a reality TV show. Confessional cutaways where the characters stare into camera and say exactly what they're thinking. Dramatic music stings when someone spots a crack in the tile. Slow motion replays of the husband iguana shaking his head at a pH reading. "Previously on Poolside..." recaps. "Next time on Poolside..." cliffhangers. The whole thing.

Five episodes. Five pools. Four enormous personalities who agree on absolutely nothing except that the pool is the only thing that matters. It's absurd, it's bingeable, and it's the kind of content that gets shared because people genuinely can't believe what they're watching.

Linda the Iguana

"I didn't leave Jersey for THIS filter system."

Gold chain with a palm tree pendant. Oversized round sunglasses she never takes off, even indoors. She has a vision board for her dream pool and she brings it to every viewing.

Vinnie the Iguana

"It's a hairline fracture. She acts like the pool is sinking into the earth."

Aviator sunglasses. Chunky gold chain. Permanently reclined. His only requirements are a good lounger angle, clean water, and zero conversation before noon. Nothing has ever scored above a seven.

Pearl the Stork

"She made me fly over Palm Beach six times last Tuesday."

Pearl necklace, gold chain combo, cat-eye sunglasses with rhinestones. She's the realtor, the pilot, and the gossip columnist all at once. Her aerial commentary is the narrator the show never asked for.

Big Tony the Stork

"At THAT price? In THIS economy?"

Dollar sign pendant. Aviator shades. Beach energy but business instincts. He finds the listings, negotiates the viewings, and somehow always knows what the property tax is before anyone asks.

Episode 01

The Pilot

"I didn't leave Jersey for THIS."

Cold open. The camera zooms in on a crack in the pool tile. Dramatic violin sting. This pool looks like it survived a hurricane. Barely.

"You could put me in a dumpster with a pool noodle and I'd still get a better tan than your brother." Vinnie hasn't moved voluntarily since 2014.

"I have been lookin' at that crack for THREE YEARS, Vinnie. Three. Years. My cousin Gina's got a better pool and she lives in a DUPLEX."

The vision board. Santorini clippings. Paint swatches. Gold stickers. "This is the VISION, Vinnie. You wouldn't know a vision if it hit you in the tail."

"I got the listings organized by zip code, water chemistry, and vibes. Yes, vibes is a category. Don't question my process."

"She made me fly over Palm Beach SIX TIMES last Tuesday. Six. My wings are STILL sore. I'm a stork, not a helicopter."

"Vinnie, get UP." / "I'm comfortable." / "You're comfortable in a SWAMP." / "It's a pool, Linda. Relax."

"It's a hairline fracture. She acts like the pool is sinkin' into the earth. I been in worse pools in Atlantic City. Way worse."

"I see everything from up here. EVERYTHING. That house on Flamingo Drive? Mold. The one on 5th? Above-ground. Don't even get me started."

Four enormous personalities. Zero compromise. One pool hunt that's about to go completely off the rails.

POOLSIDE. Smash cut to title card. Vinnie's voice: "This is gonna be a disaster."

Next time on Poolside... Someone screams. A splash. Vinnie, deadpan: "I give it a four. And that's generous."

HookThe cracked tile. Dramatic zoom. Linda's confessional monologue about everything wrong with the current pool.

TensionVinnie doesn't think they need to move. Linda has a vision board. Pearl has a binder. Big Tony just wants to stop flying over Palm Beach.

Payoff"Next time on Poolside..." teaser of the first house visit. Someone screams. A splash. A confessional where Vinnie says "I give it a four."

Episode 02

The McMansion

"Is that a WATERFALL? In the POOL?"

"Previously on Poolside..." Aerial shot. Pearl narrates like she's David Attenborough with a pearl necklace.

"And here we have... oh my. Oh my GOD. Tony, are you SEEING this? That's not a pool, that's an OCEAN."

"LAND. LAND RIGHT NOW." Tony, confessional: "She almost took us both out. Over a hot tub. A HOT TUB, people."

Wraparound pool. Fountain. Two hot tubs. Linda's already takin' pictures. "This is goin' on the group chat IMMEDIATELY."

They find the vintage teak loungers. Both go completely silent. Linda whispers: "Pearl... are those... original?" Pearl: "Teak. Solid. I can't breathe."

Vinnie opens the panel. Long pause. Slow head shake. "Salt system. I KNEW it. I could smell it from the driveway."

He pulls out a pH strip from somewhere. Nobody knows where he was keepin' it. 8.2. "Eight point TWO. That ain't a pool, Tony. That's a science experiment."

"What's wrong with salt?" Vinnie turns to camera with the look of a man who has been personally betrayed. "Don't... don't even start with me right now."

"Everything, Tony. Everything is wrong with salt. My uncle Sal had a salt system. Know what happened? Corroded the whole deck. The WHOLE deck. He's still payin' for it."

Wives want to put in an offer. Based on the loungers alone. Vinnie, from across the pool: "Over my dead body we're livin' with a salt system."

"VINNIE! STOP TESTIN' THE WATER AND COME LOOK AT THESE LOUNGERS! I SWEAR TO GOD!"

Next time on Poolside... Pearl leans in: "I found somethin' better. Don't tell anyone. Especially not Linda." Screen goes black.

HookAerial reveal of the McMansion. Pearl's nature documentary narration. Linda almost crashing the flight.

TensionWives fall in love. Husbands find the salt system. The pH strip moment. Vinnie's betrayal face.

PayoffSplit decision. Wives want to offer based on the loungers alone. Husbands won't live with a salt system.

Episode 03

The Neighbor Problem

"Is that... a FLAMINGO LAWN ORNAMENT?"

Pearl's been sittin' on this one. Pristine pool. Heated. Chlorine. Perfect tile work. Vinnie adjusts his sunglasses. "Now we're talkin'."

Vinnie touches the coping with one claw and nods. "Solid work. Good stone. Whoever did this knew what they were doin'." That's the highest compliment he's given all series.

Then they see the neighbors. Linda, to camera: "I turned around and I thought I was havin' a stroke."

"There were SEVEN. Seven flamingo lawn ornaments. I counted. Who DOES that? What kind of person looks at flamingo number six and goes, 'you know what, one more.'"

"I could see them from the air, Linda. I chose not to say anything. I thought maybe you wouldn't notice." Linda: "WOULDN'T NOTICE?!"

Garden gnomes arranged in what appears to be a military formation. Tony: "Is that one holdin' a sword? That gnome has a SWORD."

Tony from the roof: "There's a second dog. And... I think a third one behind the shed. They look organized."

"I'm gettin' a full tactical picture up here. It ain't good, Linda. It ain't good."

Vinnie hasn't moved. He found the perfect lounging angle and nothing else matters. "The pH is good. The angle is good. I'm good."

"Vinnie, there are GNOMES next door." / "So don't look at the gnomes." / "They have SWORDS, Vinnie!" / "Good for them."

"I don't look at their yard, Linda. I look at my pool." Linda goes quiet. It's the most romantic thing he's said in forty years. Then the third dog starts barking.

Next time on Poolside... Linda and Pearl are whisperin'. Tony says "How much?" and drops his sunglasses. Vinnie, from somewhere: "Whatever she's tellin' you, it's a trap."

HookPearl's secret listing. The perfect pool reveal. Vinnie's approving nod.

TensionThe flamingo ornaments. The gnome army. Three dogs. Linda's mounting horror. Vinnie's refusal to care.

Payoff"I don't look at their yard, Linda. I look at my pool." The most romantic line of the series.

Episode 04

The Dream Pool

"At THAT price? In THIS economy?"

"Previously on Poolside..." Montage of every rejection. The crack. The salt system. The gnomes. The dogs. Tony: "We been through a LOT."

This time Pearl says nothing during the approach. No narration. No commentary. She just lands and steps aside. Linda: "Why ain't she talkin'?" Tony: "Just... wait."

The pool reveals itself. Nobody breathes.

Infinity edge. Built-in spa. Underwater LEDs that cycle through colors. A grotto with a waterfall. And a swim-up bar with two stools. Vinnie, barely audible: "...Madonna."

Linda, whispering: "Is that a BAR? In the POOL?" Pearl: "Two stools. Stone countertop." Linda: "I'm gonna cry." Pearl: "I'm already cryin'."

Vinnie takes off his sunglasses. For the first time. In the entire series. Linda, confessional: "I been married to this man forty years. I never seen him take those off. Not at our wedding. Not at the hospital. NEVER."

Linda's jaw drops. Both claws on her cheeks. "This is my Santorini. This is the VISION BOARD, Pearl."

Pearl clutches her actual pearls. She's seen a thousand pools from the air. She's never seen one from the ground that made her do this.

Then the realtor says the price. Record scratch. "At THAT price? In THIS economy?" Tony says it before anyone else can. "You could buy a house in HOBOKEN for that."

Wives on one side. Husbands on the other. It looks like a standoff in a Western. Linda holds up the vision board. Vinnie holds up a calculator. Nobody blinks.

Vinnie, confessional: "She wants to bid OVER asking. Over. I once walked outta Joey's Diner on Route 9 because the coffee went up fifteen cents. Fifteen cents. And she wants me to go OVER ASKING?"

Vinnie looks at the pool. Then at Linda. Then back at the pool. Linda, quiet for once: "Vin... this is the one."

TO BE CONTINUED. Dramatic strings. Vinnie's voice, barely a whisper: "...how much over?"

HookPearl's silence. The slow reveal. Vinnie removes his sunglasses. The most dramatic moment in the series.

TensionThe price. Big Tony's catchphrase. Wives vs. husbands across the pool deck like a standoff.

PayoffCliffhanger. Vinnie looks at the pool, then at Linda. "TO BE CONTINUED." The audience riots.

Episode 05

The Closing

"I give it... a ten."

Morning. Vinnie is back at the old pool. The cracked tile. The murky water. The stained deck. He just sits there. Tony, voiceover: "I never seen him like that. Not once."

Linda comes out. She's not wearin' the sunglasses. Pearl, confessional: "When Linda takes off the glasses, you don't talk. You just listen."

Pearl calls from above: "One more. Trust me on this. Please." Linda looks up. For the first time, she doesn't argue.

"I found this one myself. No binder. No color-coded tabs. Just me, a Tuesday mornin', and a flyover. Sometimes simple is better."

The house is modest. The lawn is perfect. The neighbors wave from across the fence. Linda: "...they seem nice." Vinnie: "Don't jinx it."

No fountain. No grotto. No swim-up bar. Just a clean, well-built pool with crystal water. The kind of pool someone put their heart into. Linda, quiet: "Oh, Vinnie."

Vinnie walks the deck. Touches every stone. Checks the coping. Runs a claw along the tile. Nobody says a word. They know not to interrupt this process.

He opens the pump room. Clean. Well-maintained. Chlorine system. He nods once. Tony: "That nod. I know that nod. That's the nod."

He pulls out the strip. Dips it. Holds it up. Long pause. He looks at camera. "Seven point four." Perfect. Pearl gasps. Tony puts his wing over his beak. Linda's already gone.

Linda, full tears: "This is the one, isn't it." It's not a question. Vinnie doesn't answer. He's already walking toward the water.

Vinnie slides into the pool. The first time he's gotten in the water all series. He closes his eyes. The gold chain floats. Nobody says a word.

The storks land on the diving board together. Tony puts his wing around Pearl. She takes off her sunglasses to wipe her eyes. "We did good, Tony." / "Yeah. Yeah we did."

Vinnie, final confessional. Sunglasses back on. Gold chain catchin' the Florida sun. The smallest smile he's ever made. "I give it... a ten." Long pause. "Don't tell Linda I said that. She'll want a fountain." Freeze frame. Credits roll. POOLSIDE. Season 2 coming soon.

HookBack at the old pool. The cracked tile. Linda without sunglasses. Pearl's "one more" call.

TensionModest house. No flashy features. Will it be enough after the dream pool? The pH strip moment.

Payoff"7.4." Vinnie gets in the water. The first ten. Freeze frame. Season 2 tease.

The Package

What you get

$14,000

Five episodes. One complete micro-series.

5 Episodes

60 to 90 seconds each. Full story arc with character development, comedy, and a resolution.

Original Characters

Two couples, four distinct personalities, built for your brand and your audience.

Multi-Platform Ready

Shot vertically for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts. Horizontal cuts available for website and YouTube.

Full Ownership

You own the series, the characters, and all the content. Use it however you want, forever.

Industry First

Position your brand as the first in the pool and spa industry to use the micro-series format.

Press-Ready

We'll help you announce through trade publications. APSP, Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, United Pool Association.

Who We Are

Bizarre Bunny

We're a production studio that makes micro-series for brands. Not ads, not explainer videos, not social media content. Series. Stories that people choose to watch, follow, and share.

Our team has credits with Warner Bros, NBC, Coca-Cola, and an Emmy nomination. We've been building in branded entertainment for years, and the micro-series format is where we've planted our flag.

We're currently producing micro-series across multiple industries. Each one is designed to be the first in its category, giving our partners the advantage of being the brand that moved first.

Warner BrosProduction credits

NBCProduction credits

Coca-ColaBrand work

Emmy NominatedWriting & production

Want to be first?

The micro-series format is coming to every industry. The pool and spa industry doesn't have one yet. That's the opportunity.

tim@bizarrebunny.co.uk

The micro-series format is reshaping entertainment. Your industry hasn't used it yet.