Pollen partnered with the founders of Slapshot pre-launch to develop the brand, website, and go-to-market strategy. Successfully launching a bold AI tool which will transform the VFX post-production process for creators and studios worldwide.
Highlights
Created automation systems to streamline processes to support scaling the business’ outreach and lead generation
Established inbound process from scratch, resulting in an increase in lead generation by over 500%
Developed tracking framework to determine campaign performance
Slapshot is an AI-powered platform designed to dramatically reduce post-production time in visual effects. Developed by the founders of Hotspring, Slapshot automates labour-intensive processes like rotoscoping, generative retiming, video depth mapping, and camera tracking, giving creators speed, precision, and creative freedom.
When Jon and Varun approached Pollen, Slapshot was still in stealth. They needed a trusted partner to help turn an engineering breakthrough into a commercially scalable business, from scratch.
The Challenge
The team had developed cutting-edge technology. What they needed next was a brand, a digital presence, a market strategy, and a funnel that could convert creators and studios from curiosity to commitment. Key challenges included:
Defining the brand identity and core value proposition
Building a high-converting marketing website
Crafting a multi-stage go-to-market plan
Developing a CRM and communications stack to manage the user journey
Establishing digital campaigns that reached technical users with emotional and practical pull
Our Approach
We worked as an embedded growth team, delivering across strategy, creative, digital, CRM, and performance. Key activities included:
Brand & Website
Defined brand personality, tone of voice, and visual identity
Built and launched a custom WordPress website tailored to conversion
Wrote core messaging and value propositions across all stages of the funnel
Go-to-Market & Growth Strategy
Defined Ideal Customer Personas (e.g., freelance creators, studio directors)
Built phased GTM plan: soft launch → early access → hard launch → scale
Created a multi-channel performance marketing strategy
Prioritised countries, ad platforms, influencers, and budgets
Developed test-and-learn framework for creative and messaging
CRM, Comms & Funnel Development
Implemented HubSpot and designed custom user journeys
Built lifecycle email automations for onboarding, retention, upsell and referrals
Designed reporting dashboards and performance KPIs
Set up referral and feedback loops to build product feedback into marketing
Successfully launched Slapshot in March 2025, now live and operational
Delivered full-stack go-to-market engine in under 3 months
Built a brand and marketing function from zero to handover
Established a repeatable funnel with clear acquisition, conversion, and retention metrics
Gained early PR coverage from major VFX publications including TVB Europe and VFX Express
Client Reflection
Having worked with Pollen on their previous company Hotspring, the founders of Slapshot re-engaged us for one simple reason: trust. Our ability to blend strategy with hands-on delivery helped them focus on product development while we laid the path to launch and scale.
Key Takeaways
Founders shouldn’t do everything - partnering with a fractional growth team gave them scale and focus
Speed matters in AI - moving fast gave Slapshot an early lead in a competitive space
Infrastructure drives growth - building tech, messaging and CRM in parallel meant faster ROI
Creative audiences still need funnel thinking - strong product + smart funnel = growth
Next Steps
With the brand launched and initial growth channels in motion, the Slapshot team now owns and runs the strategy, building on the strong foundations laid in partnership with Pollen.
Whether you're looking to define a clear growth strategy, level-up your brand, or scale faster using AI, Pollen builds the perfect team around your needs.
