Dubai-based advertising technology company POPCORN has announced the launch of its AI-powered platform designed to let brands, agencies, and creators produce video advertisements in minutes using only a product link. The platform has already seen significant early interest, attracting more than 2,800 users in its first 15 days of operation.
Quick Facts
- Launched new AI-powered video ad platform
- Gained over 2,800 users in its first two weeks
- Technology focuses on hyper-specific Arabic dialects
- Offers more than 200 AI virtual personas
Beyond Standard Arabic: A Dialect-First Approach
POPCORN’s key differentiator is its advanced Arabic lip-sync engine, engineered to recognize and reproduce the wide spectrum of regional dialects across MENA. Instead of treating Arabic as a single language, the platform distinguishes between nuances in local speech, allowing for more authentic and targeted marketing content.
The technology supports variations within a single country, such as the Hijazi, Najdi, Riyadhi, and Northern dialects in Saudi Arabia, or Cairene, Alexandrian, and Sa’idi in Egypt. It also covers dialects across the Gulf and North Africa, including Moroccan Arabic and Amazigh, with plans for further expansion. This allows brands to move beyond generic campaigns and connect with audiences in their native vernacular.
Engineering for Cultural Nuance
The platform provides an end-to-end production solution that includes concept development, scriptwriting, visual effects, and voiceovers using a roster of over 200 virtual actors. The goal is to reduce production costs and timelines while preserving the cultural details crucial for effective advertising in the region.
Shady Essam, Co-Founder and CEO of POPCORN, said: “Arabic is not a single language from a marketing perspective. Every region, every city, and sometimes every community has its own way of expression. We built POPCORN to reflect this reality, to give brands video content that is closer to their audience and more precise in dialect and delivery.”
Mohamed Haidar, Chief Product Officer at POPCORN, added: “Dialect accuracy was not a feature we added later, it is the engineering foundation on which the platform was built. Our goal is to make AI-generated video more realistic and more contextually relevant to local audiences.”
About POPCORN
POPCORN is a Dubai-registered AI advertising technology company focused on developing dialect-aware intelligent content production. The company was co-founded by Shady Essam, founder of influencer marketing firm DMENTA which was acquired by ArabyAds Group, and Mohamed Haidar, a digital growth and retail expert with senior leadership experience at Al-Shaya Group and Al-Tayer Group.
Source: Zawya
