Peacock is going all in on vertical video. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the NBCUniversal-owned streamer is rolling out original Bravo microdramas and a TikTok-style, scrollable feed this month as part of a major push to get you to watch more content on your phone.
Inside Peacock’s new vertical video lineup
Campus Confidential is Peacock’s first original series designed specifically for a phone screen held upright. It is a short-form unscripted series built around the kind of soap opera drama Bravo has always done well.
Alongside it, Peacock is rolling out a dedicated vertical video feed this month, starting with clips before a full section called Your Bravoverse arrives later this summer. Think of it as a scrollable video feed, built entirely around Bravo’s universe of shows and personalities.
Peacock is also licensing vertical microdramas from ReelShort, a platform that already specializes in this format, to fill out the content while its own originals ramp up. There will also be an AI-powered version of Andy Cohen, the longtime Bravo host, who will guide viewers through clips inside the app.
Why Peacock is betting big on your phone?
Peacock wants you to open the app more often and view longer, and vertical video is how it plans to get there. To scale things up quickly, the platform is using AI technology that automatically converts existing horizontal TV footage into vertical format, opening the door for shows like The Office or SNL to eventually get the same treatment.
Live content is also part of the mix, with vertical sports streaming from the NBA and FIFA World Cup already in the works. Peacock has also launched Shop What Happens, a vertical live series with click-to-buy capabilities built right into the experience.
Peacock is not the only streamer going this route. Disney+ launched its own dedicated vertical video feed, and Netflix earlier introduced a TikTok-like feed that guides you straight into a binge-watch.