In the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Pops World is more than just a studio; it’s a creative empire. Founded with a vision to bring Southeast Asian talent and stories to the world, Pops has grown into one of the region’s largest media networks, working with brands, streaming services, and artists to produce bold, engaging content.
From viral music videos to national ad campaigns, Pops World became the behind-the-scenes powerhouse of Asia’s creative boom. But with this growth came an unprecedented challenge: demand was outpacing even their considerable resources.
The Challenge: A Content Explosion
By 2023, the content landscape had changed dramatically. Platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and emerging regional apps were redefining what it meant to “stay relevant.” A single campaign wasn’t just one polished ad anymore—it was a dozen variations optimized for every platform and demographic.
Global brands were knocking on Pops’ door, asking for massive, multi-language campaigns with rapid turnaround. Meanwhile, local creators wanted cinematic-quality videos to stand out in a sea of short-form content. Pops was already one of the largest creative studios in the region, but the model wasn’t scalable.
Every campaign meant:
- Hiring more crews for shoots in multiple locations.
- Renting more studios and pushing teams to work overtime.
- Extending production schedules just to meet baseline expectations.
The strain was starting to show. Pops faced a critical decision: either turn down opportunities or rethink their entire approach to content creation.
A Bold Move: Becoming an AI-First Studio
Rather than scaling the old way, Pops’ leadership took a leap of faith. They invested in AI not as a side project but as the core of their production pipeline. The goal wasn’t to replace their talented directors, editors, and designers but to give them tools that would multiply their output without sacrificing artistry.
After evaluating multiple AI solutions, Pops chose to integrate Akool’s advanced AI video suite.
The Akool Difference
With Akool, Pops could completely reimagine their workflows:
- Face-Swapping & Virtual Talent: Instead of reshoots, AI avatars and face-swaps allowed Pops to create variations of a campaign in hours. This was especially valuable when talent was unavailable or when localized versions of an ad were needed quickly.
- Multilingual Lip-Syncing: Southeast Asia is a linguistic mosaic. Akool allowed Pops to seamlessly produce videos in multiple languages without hiring new voice actors or reshooting footage, making regional campaigns far more affordable.
- AI-Enhanced Post-Production: Editing pipelines that once took days were compressed to hours. Pops’ teams could focus on creative decisions, while Akool handled time-intensive rendering tasks.
This wasn’t just a tech integration; it was a cultural shift. Pops went from a traditional media studio to a hybrid AI-powered creative network, capable of producing campaigns at a scale previously reserved for global production giants.
Results: Breaking Barriers in Creative Production
The numbers tell an impressive story:
- Doubled content output without doubling staff or costs.
- Expanded global partnerships with Fortune 500 brands who needed high-quality campaigns for Southeast Asia.
- Faster campaign cycles: What used to take six weeks could now be done in less than three.
- Industry recognition: Pops became known as one of the first “AI-first creative studios” in Southeast Asia, earning headlines for innovation.
But the real story is how Pops empowered local talent. By leveraging AI, they were able to take on more regional creators, helping emerging artists and influencers access tools and production quality previously out of reach.
The Future of Pops World
For Pops, the integration of Akool wasn’t just about efficiency; it was about expanding creative possibilities. AI avatars allowed them to experiment with entirely new kinds of storytelling, from virtual concerts to hybrid live-action/CGI campaigns. Multilingual production meant global brands could truly localize content for every Southeast Asian market, respecting culture while scaling reach.
Today, Pops stands as a blueprint for creative studios worldwide: a company that proves artistry and AI can work hand-in-hand. By betting early on Akool, Pops has built a competitive advantage that stretches beyond Southeast Asia, positioning itself as a global leader in next-gen content production.
Key Takeaway
Pops World didn’t just adopt AI; they redefined what it means to be a creative studio in the digital age. With Akool, they transformed into a powerhouse capable of handling the world’s most ambitious campaigns—without losing their soul. Their journey shows that technology, when used thoughtfully, doesn’t replace creativity. It amplifies it.