Animation is no longer just a method of entertaining children–animation is an incredibly useful, corporate tool that can be utilized for a number of important features. From explaining difficult concepts, to making a dull topic exciting, to helping viewers retain information, there are a number of ways to use animation in your next explainer video.
We have collected some amazing examples of animated corporate videos. These videos use animation to achieve a goal, and we will analyze why each one is successful.
Exodus Inspiration Project
It can be noted that the use of animation is complementary to the text in the video. The use of powerful messages such us “being proud of one’s heritage” and “children exploring their world” is augmented by the animation style and colour scheme. The animations are simple drawings, almost made to resemble a children’s book. This makes the explainer video light-hearted and plays on the positive emotional impact the project has. Bright colours are used to portray the excitement of these children when they are going through this very constructive experience.
Moreover, many elements found in the text (such as the elephants in the wild, the Angkor Wat, and the sea) have also been animated in the video. This is a very good technique, since it helps the viewer identify an image with the text they are reading. This makes the message easier to remember and increases its impact. By associating an image with a message, the viewer feels more familiarised with the content of the video and, in turn, gets a better understanding of the real impact of the project.
Tip: Animation is incredibly visual! Make sure it looks appealing (eg. cute elephants). This way you are more likely to get a response out of the viewer.
Ancestry DNA – One Great Big British Family
DNA-based genealogy service–now that’s a mouthful! Ancestry challenged us to create an animation for this service, explaining the likelihood of randomly meeting unknown relatives.
Instead of that, animation has been used to mould related statistics into interesting, easy-to-follow elements. For example, you could read about the possibility of having 111 relatives in a certain sample of London’s population. However, the more entertaining option would be to represent that sample as a group of people running a London marathon. Implying that you are part of the animation, crossing that finish line first, basking in the sound of cheering and clapping adds the factor of engagement. Introducing the actual information once this engagement has been established- the likelihood of having 111 relatives cross the line after you- increases the chance of the message sparking interest in the viewer.
Looking at numbers is less dry when seeing them move and add up on screen. Pairing them with easy-to-understand graphics helps create a visual trigger for remembering that information!
Tip: Keep the explainer animation fast-paced, using clear graphics to represent the key elements of your message!
City of London
The City of London approached us for collaborating in the creation of an explainer animation, exploring how cities grow to become large financial centres.
This is a great example of using animation to interestingly highlight key points of an otherwise dull topic. Although aimed at people who already had background knowledge on the topic, animation was used to keep them engaged and offer visual cues to help them follow from beginning to end.
The more complex a topic is, the harder to follow it becomes. Through the smart use of variety in animation styles, strategic introduction of colour, fast pace and succinct voice-over, this video can convey the desired message as efficiently as possible.
Tip: Try to use different animation styles for different types of information! It helps the viewer create a link.
Bluehat Group
This is a very good example for how one can make use of a set colour scheme in order to create a brand’s image and feel. The colours used in this animation are linked with the company’s logo components – this is a good way of creating a visual cue for the target audience. The chosen colour profile allows the animator to draw connections between the visual representation of the brand and elements which stand for its services and unique selling points (for example, the planet Earth as a symbol for their extended global reach).
Furthermore, the video highlights the name of the company (Bluehat), through the use of differently shaped hats as animation elements. This is a detail which can help the viewer establishing a stronger link between the brand and the message of the promotional video. By identifying a brand through a specific element, people are more likely to remember not only some parts of the content of the video, but also who is providing the service or product.
Tip: Colour is a brilliant way of establishing connections! Be mindful of what people correlate a certain colour to when planning your explainer video.
Filtered
Filtered could come across as quite a dull and uninteresting service. Luckily, using an animated video which clearly explains the unique selling points of this service, makes it more interesting. By providing the visualisation of a positive experience an employee had as a result of using this service, a constructive emotion is linked with its usage. Additionally, seeing recognition being given from the manager towards the employee strengthens the emotional engagement of the animation.
In this case, animation is a good way of portraying a positive outcome as a result of using the marketed product. There is no need for statistics or concise numbers, since this animation focuses on the user’s gratification.
Tip: Don’t use animation solely to visualise numbers and data. Use it to portray an actual emotion which relates to your product or service!
As you can see, there are a multitude of benefits to using animation to explain difficult or more dry concepts. There are also strategies you can use to further drive home your message–using brand colours in the animation, referencing a brand image, using different types of animation style for different sets of information; using abstract animation to represent emotion, and much more.
Article by Bianca Iorga