The ad ban pushed more advertisers to micro film. That, in turn, accelerated the genre's development, Ling says.

Herun Media's Wang Yifei puts it this way: "As more companies sponsor micro films, more micro films are being churned out. There will be mediocre works, and it will become tougher for a micro film to stand out as competition gets tougher."

Wang says the series format of @Love is the best way to go.

"Episodes are more likely to create a buzz than one-offs," Wang says.

"Content remains most important, and making content more appealing is core to the success of micro films. Their topics should appeal to empathies through strong screenplays."

About 100 writers polished the script of @Love and spun the plot to focus on the Spring Festival travel rush and the marital attitudes of people born after 1990 - both issues of viewer interest.

"In the future, our screenwriters will have group discussions to identify hot issues on micro blogs and in the headlines," Wang says.

"We'll establish a database of scripts based on the most discussed topics to ensure a bounty of intriguing stories. Micro films must beef up their content to lead the pack."

A scene from the @love episode, Love at First Sight.

By Sun Li