What PopShorts does

PopShorts is a U.S.-based social media marketing and influencer agency founded in 2013 and headquartered in Los Angeles, with additional offices in Austin (regional HQ), Newport Beach, Orange County, New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco. The firm connects large brands, studios, and agencies with influential personalities and creators, delivering end-to-end campaign work that spans social media strategy, influencer identification and activation, in-house video and photo production and post-production, paid social advertising, and community management. Its disclosed client roster spans film and entertainment (Lionsgate, Netflix, CBS Films, Disney, Toho International), technology (Adobe), automotive (Ford), financial services (Chase for Business), retail, lottery (Kentucky Lottery, Virginia Lottery), nonprofit (International Committee of the Red Cross), and government (Colorado Crisis Services).

The firm's service methodology is positioned as 'data-first,' leveraging a partnership with IBM Watson for audience targeting and engagement optimization alongside full in-house production capabilities. PopShorts operates a professional-services revenue model: campaign-based fees for influencer activations, social strategy consulting, and content production, with no publicly disclosed pricing or SaaS-style recurring product. Distribution is direct enterprise sales, supplemented by event-driven activations (e.g., Essence Festival) and community-led influencer network engagement across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, and Snapchat.

PopShorts is privately held and founder-led, with Adam Gausepohl serving as CEO and Creative Director since inception. The company has accumulated over 45 international recognitions including Streamy, Shorty, Webby, Telly, Clio, Davey, and Addy awards, and appeared on the Inc. 5000 in 2019 (#1616) and 2020 (#723) with stated 255% revenue growth since 2015. No external funding rounds, parent company, or institutional investors are disclosed.

Name

PopShorts

Legal name

PopShorts

Website

https://popshorts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PopShorts is a Los Angeles-based social media marketing and influencer agency that designs and executes data-driven campaigns for large brands, studios, and agencies across entertainment, technology, automotive, retail, nonprofit, and government verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Media Marketing & Influencer Agency Services

NAICS

Media Representatives (541840), Media Buying Agencies (54183)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Influencer Campaign Operations & Managed Services (BPAFAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Influencer Agencies & Talent Management Networks (MPACAGAC), Influencer Whitelisting, Paid Amplification & Spark Ads (BPAFAHAH), Influencer Paid Amplification & Whitelisting (Spark Ads/Branded Content Ads) (MPAAAHAJ)

Keywords

• Influencer marketing services
• Social media strategy
• Content production services
• Paid social advertising
• Brand campaign management

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Influencer Marketing Campaigns: Full-service influencer marketing solutions where PopShorts designs and executes campaigns for brands, managing influencer relationships, content creation, and social amplification. Revenue generated through campaign fees and professional services.
2. Social Media Strategy Services: Strategic consulting and planning services including brand strategy, growth strategy, influencer strategy, engagement strategy, mobile strategy, and performance strategy development.
3. Content Production: Content creation services including video production, photo studio work, post-production, events and experiences, and quality assurance for social media campaigns.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PopShorts is a full-service social media marketing and influencer agency that designs and executes end-to-end social media campaigns for major brands, studios, and agencies. Its core offerings span data-driven social media strategy, influencer marketing campaign management, in-house video and photo content production, paid social advertising, and community management. Campaigns are delivered through a combination of proprietary data partnerships (including IBM Watson) and an established network of elite influencers and creators.

Product overview

PopShorts is a social media marketing and influencer agency, not a software product platform. The company offers a unified suite of agency services centered around social media strategy, influencer marketing, content creation, and paid social advertising. Their core offerings include social media strategy services, influencer marketing services, content creation (video and photo), paid social, and community management. These services are delivered as professional agency services rather than as standalone software products or modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Social Media Strategy Services Data-first social media strategy development covering brand strategy, growth strategy, engagement strategy, mobile strategy, and performance strategy for large brands, studios, and agencies.
• Influencer Marketing Services End-to-end influencer marketing including data-backed influencer identification, campaign management, brand safety assurance, FTC compliance, and usage rights and licensing for enterprise brand and studio clients.
• Content Creation In-house content production services including mobile video, social content, video and photo studio, post-production, events and experiences, and quality assurance for social media campaigns.
• Paid Social Paid social media advertising services with testing, optimization, and measurement and reporting across major social platforms.
• Community Management Social media community engagement and management services delivered on behalf of brand and studio clients across platforms.

Quantifiable outcome

• A Simple Favor campaign: 15,000+ detectives solved the mystery, 60% completion rate, film grossed nearly $100MM at box office
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• IBM WatsoncoreTechnology or IntegrationData partnership leveraging IBM Watson capabilities for audience targeting and engagement optimization across social media campaigns.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-phase social impact campaign 'Play by the Rules' collaborating with ICRC to raise awareness about Rules of War among gamers, featuring Twitch livestreams and custom Fortnite and Arma III game modes.
• 87eleven Action DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional stuntmen from 87eleven Action Design provided tactical action movie training for American Assassin influencer campaign.
• Droga5coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Droga5 for Chase for Business The Morning Bell for Small Business initiative social video content.
• KrogercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative campaign with Kroger for Kentucky Lottery promotional activities.
• NASPL (North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual NASPL Batchy Awards recognizing excellence in lottery advertising. PopShorts won Batchy Award for Kentucky Lottery and Kroger campaign.
• ThinkLAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual IDEA Awards Gala recognizing excellence in advertising. PopShorts won Boutique Agency of the Year in 2019.
• DisneycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor client for influencer campaigns including Wendell & Wild partnership with Netflix.
• NetflixcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor studio client for Wendell & Wild influencer partnership campaign winning multiple awards including Telly Awards and Webby Awards.
• Toho InternationalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPromotional campaign for Godzilla Minus One theatrical release in U.S. domestic market.
• Corridor CrewminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVFX artists React series creating YouTube content about Godzilla Minus One, achieving 1M organic views.
• BustleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for A Simple Favor campaign coverage.
• CosmopolitanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for A Simple Favor campaign coverage.
• E! NewsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for A Simple Favor campaign coverage.
• Teen VogueGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for A Simple Favor campaign coverage.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CreatorIQ: CreatorIQ is an enterprise influencer marketing platform with agency services, serving brands like Disney and Unilever. It directly competes in the influencer-campaign-management category while offering proprietary SaaS tooling.
• Influencer.com: Influencer.com (formerly IMA) is a managed-services influencer agency that has absorbed Mediakix and other influencer shops. It competes with PopShorts in end-to-end influencer campaign strategy and execution.
• HireInfluence: HireInfluence is a full-service influencer marketing agency executing awareness, content, and experiential campaigns for enterprise brands. It is a direct competitor in the boutique-to-mid-market influencer-campaign-operations segment.
• Aspire (formerly AspireIQ): Aspire combines an influencer marketing platform with managed services, executing creator campaigns for enterprise brands. It overlaps PopShorts on the influencer-campaign-operations and managed-services axis while adding software tooling.
• Obviously: Obviously is a full-service influencer marketing and social media agency serving major brands including Google, Amazon, and Tiffany & Co. It directly competes with PopShorts in end-to-end influencer campaign management for enterprise clients.
• The Influencer Marketing Factory: The Influencer Marketing Factory is an influencer agency running TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube campaigns for brands across consumer verticals. It competes with PopShorts for mid-market and entertainment influencer engagements.
• IZEA Worldwide: IZEA operates an influencer marketing marketplace and managed-services business connecting brands with creators. As a publicly-traded influencer-marketing operator, it competes with PopShorts for both platform and agency engagements.
• Open Influence: Open Influence is a global influencer marketing agency and platform serving Fortune 500 brands with end-to-end campaign services. It competes with PopShorts for enterprise influencer engagements across consumer and entertainment verticals.
• Captiv8: Captiv8 operates an influencer marketing platform with end-to-end campaign management, serving brands including Netflix and Amazon. It overlaps PopShorts on entertainment and enterprise creator-campaign execution.

Broad incumbents

• MullenLowe U.S. MullenLowe is an Interpublic Group agency offering full-service advertising including influencer and social activations. As a larger incumbent, it competes with PopShorts for enterprise influencer briefs but through a broader agency portfolio rather than specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/popshorts
• Facebookfacebook.com/popshorts
• Instagraminstagram.com/popshorts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/popshorts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PopShorts