Currently, the creative industry is a major growth sector in the global economy. It has been flourishing in countries with cultural and creative export strategies such as the United States, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand, contributing 5-8% of their GDP (Gross Domestic Product). In Vietnam, the latest data indicates that the creative industry accounts for approximately 3% of the national GDP (according to the General Statistics Office under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism).
A decade of ‘starting up’ on digital content
In recent years, more and more Vietnamese businesses have entered the creative industry, achieving notable successes both domestically and internationally. Among them, Sconnect Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Sconnect) has stood out as a prominent name. Founded with the vision of placing Vietnam on the global animation map, Sconnect has created a range of products with rich humanitarian values and developed a surrounding ecosystem.
Founded in September 2014 with an initial team of just 8 people, Sconnect began by editing video content and distributing it on the cross-border platform YouTube. Despite a small and inexperienced team with little prior experience in digital content creation, Sconnect's founders were determined to pursue a "slow and steady" approach, focusing on high-quality content to appeal to audiences in high-standard markets while avoiding harmful and unsustainable content.
According to Ta Manh Hoang, Founder and CEO of Sconnect Vietnam, exporting digital content to demanding markets like the US and Europe was considered a bold move at the time. Some questioned why the company did not start with the Vietnamese market. Ta Manh Hoang explained: "At the beginning, we researched the standards for content for children and found that the US and Europe have very clear guidelines. We just needed to learn and follow those standards. In Vietnam, digital content was too new, with no clear system of standards for content creators targeting children.”
To be released and win over audiences, the production team studied the standards of cross-border platforms and researched audience preferences in target markets to create content that would be well-received by American parents and children. The channel grew, becoming multilingual and gradually winning over international audiences. From the first 1 million views, the system eventually reached 100 million views per month. And it continues to grow, now reaching billions of views monthly. Starting from English content, Sconnect's offerings are now available in 20 languages.
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Most of Sconnect's staff are dynamic and passionate young Vietnamese people, capable of handling everything from graphic design to handcrafted props. |
Over two years of operation, Sconnect’s team grew to 64 members. In addition to developing edited content, recognising the potential in animation, Sconnect began producing animations for children, starting with 2D and Stop Motion animation technologies.
In 2018, after the successful release of the Wolfoo animation series that attracted viewers worldwide, Sconnect planned a sustainable development path with animation as its core product. The company began preparing resources for an expansion phase, focusing on animation and exploring business opportunities in intellectual property (IP) rights.
Following Wolfoo, Sconnect has continued to create and develop numerous animated character series such as Doodles, Fairy Tales, Max's Puppy Dog, Tiny - Clay Mixer, Luka, and many more. As of the end of 2023, Sconnect owns and has developed 18 animated IPs, with the goal of adding 10 more in 2024.
Sconnect is also among the few animation studios in Vietnam and the region applying a diverse range of animation production technologies: 2D, 2D Frame by Frame, 3D, Stop Motion, Paper Mation, and Live Action.
Creating and expanding creative ecosystem
After 10 years of development, Sconnect has expanded from 8 members to nearly 1,000 employees, with facilities in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, the US, the Czech Republic, the UK, and Hungary. Evolving from a content production company, Sconnect has established a creative business model focusing on key areas including content production, game, IP trading, content distribution, entertainment services, services supporting creators, animation outsourcing, animation education-training, and investment fund.
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The Wolfoo animation brand is utilised across a variety of educational, entertainment, and consumer products. (Photo: Sconnect Vietnam) |
One of the biggest challenges in expanding production has been the shortage of high-quality human resources. To address this issue and contribute to the overall development of the market, in 2021, Sconnect established the Sconnect International Animation Training Academy (Sconnect Academy, now known as SAMA) to train professionals in animation production. After 3 years of operation, SAMA has provided over 3,000 workers to the labour market, with a 100% employment rate for graduates. Currently, SAMA offers training in 7 specialised fields related to animation production and game design.
In addition to creating captivating animated videos for millions of children worldwide, in 2021, Sconnect invested in developing educational online games based on the Wolfoo character set. Each game is designed as a small lesson that allows children to learn while playing, making it both accessible and engaging. As of now, Sconnect has programmed and published 140 games for children under 8 years old, with over 3 million game downloads each month.
As with its animated content, Wolfoo Games has continued to win over parents in the US and Europe, encouraging them to let their children "play and learn." The high-quality and safe contents for young children have been recognised by international education experts. As of mid-August 2024, Wolfoo Games has received 54 Teacher Approved badges from Google-approved educators and experts.
Another addition to Sconnect's animation ecosystem is the themed play areas modelled after popular animated characters. In 2022, Sconnect launched the first educational play area in Vietnam — Wolfoo City (now part of the Wolfoo World play area system) — to bring the animated scenes to life.
By the end of 2025, Wolfoo World plans to develop more than 30 play areas nationwide, further diversifying the Wolfoo product ecosystem and expanding Sconnect's business areas.
Over its 10 years of development, Sconnect has amassed a "treasure trove" of approximately 50,000 videos. Their content have been translated into 20 languages and distributed globally, with the highest viewership being in North America, Europe, China, Japan, India, and other densely populated countries. The company owns more than 500 channels with over 4.5 billion views per month on YouTube, including 3 diamond play buttons and over 400 gold and silver play buttons.
In 2023, Sconnect was awarded two Vietnamese records in the animation field: "The entity with the most Vietnamese animation copyrights" with 127 copyright certificates, and "Wolfoo — The Vietnamese animated series with the most episodes published in multiple languages on YouTube" with 3,700 episodes translated into 17 languages. Currently, Wolfoo has over 4,000 episodes, with an average of 20-25 new episodes each month.
In 2024, with the goal of promoting the Vietnamese animation industry, Sconnect has initiated the establishment of an Animation Investment Fund. This fund aims to support and develop high-quality animation projects. Sconnect will collaborate with animation studios and creative teams to develop new animation IPs and work with international content distribution platforms to expand market reach. This fund will play a crucial role in making animation a key industry in the digital economy and enhancing the position of Vietnamese animation in the international market.
