So-called short dramas are growing in popularity, especially in China and more recently Japan and to some extent the U.S. 

They’re bite sized (2 minutes more or less) and designed for phones and social media. 

Now Dentsu Group is investing in one of Japan’s major players in the space—Emole Inc., which produces short drama content and has developed a popular smartphone app for viewing them called Bump. 

Dentsu is making its investment through its Dentsu Ventures investment fund. Financial terms weren’t disclosed. 

The format is pay-per-view and younger viewers in particular are big fans because they like the content and avoid ads.  

Bump has had nearly 2 million downloads since its release two years ago, according to Dentsu.  

Mole will use the funding to produce more content both in-house and with outside content providers, as well as upgrade features on the Bump app. As part of the investment Emole will have access to some undisclosed Dentsu services as it continues to expand its operations.