Animated Advertising
Animation has taken off more now than ever before in marketing. There are many reasons for this. Mainly, animation has broad applications—it can be used to express nearly any message in digital format (pre-roll, explainers, social media, GIFs, display graphics, banners, meetings, and presentations, etc.).
Additionally, animation is cost-effective, as it doesn’t require the hiring of crew, rental of studio equipment and location space, and various actors. People are hooked on animated advertising, and the momentum will continue to accelerate into the post-COVID world.
“Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive. This facility makes it the most versatile and explicit means of communication yet devised for quick mass appreciation.”
- Walt Disney
Why Choose Animated Advertising
Engaging
People commonly prefer watching a video to reading, but due to the over-saturation of traditional commercials, many actively avoid engaging with standard advertisements. Animation, however, has the power to engage viewers in unique visual ways.
Moreover, animation can seamlessly incorporate existing brand materials (e.g. colors, type, logo shapes) without having to hit the viewer over the head with the logo-sledge hammer. Finally, animation has the ability to appeal to a broader audience than traditional video commercials: it’s possible for animated characters to have no real age, race, or gender.
Easy to understand
Animation can visualize and explain topics that would be difficult to understand through words alone. “65% of people are visual learners, and 90% of the information transmitted to the brain is visual.” Traditional “talking head” videos are boring, dull, and easily forgettable—as are text-based presentations. In fact, “visual information is processed 60,000x faster than text.”
Animations are great at making complex ideas click, dull ideas seem lively, and making serious topics interesting and more approachable.
Memorable
Animated advertising offers flexibility. There are many different styles of animation, and this affords advertisers and storytellers more opportunities to leave a lasting impression on a given audience. “Pictures and images are more likely to be remembered than words.” And in the animated world, characters, colors, shapes, and movement make the video stick with viewers long after the voice-over and on-screen are forgotten.
Many of us associate happy and comforting thoughts with watching cartoons and animated films. Therefore, in addition to being easy to remember, “animation can be nostalgic.” Nostalgia is an extremely effective marketing tool relating positive feelings with the driving message and making viewers more likely to share the campaign with others.