When should you use animated marketing videos?

Marketing directors worldwide ask themselves: How do I get my brand noticed? Grabbing your audience’s attention is the first challenge in marketing.
An animated graphic of a phone

So, how do you get your brand noticed if you’re a marketing director? Marketing has evolved beyond traditional methods to cater to the changing preferences of consumers. Animated videos in marketing have emerged as a highly effective tool for engaging, educating, and converting audiences.

We’ll look at some of the benefits of using animated videos and explore the reasons behind their success.

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1. How do animated ads work on TV, BVOD and social?

Animated adverts work because people are inundated with information. Building a brand that cuts through is paramount. With their colourful and creative visuals, animated TV or BVOD adverts are an ideal solution.

A stand-out video with a bold visual style makes it more likely to be watched. This initial engagement is the first step in connecting with your audience. Keeping viewers watching is about storytelling and stylish motion graphics.

Having a brand instantly recognisable takes years to establish, but even if you’re just starting, it’s a worthwhile goal. Developing an eye-catching visual style that is yours and yours alone means you’re building brand awareness. There’s nothing worse than spending your marketing budget only to be confused with a competitor.

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CMC animated advert

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2. How can animation explain complex products clearly?

Animation simplifies the complex, making it easier for your audience to grasp and retain information. Whether you’re selling a product, service, or idea, it’s often necessary to explain complex concepts.

With video, especially on mobile, less is more! By tailoring your video content to specific subjects, you can deliver what your audience wants. Viewers don’t wade through long videos anymore. They want concise content that provides entertainment or answers. A collection of short videos around a theme works much better than a whopper covering everything.

When dealing with complex ideas, onscreen text is perfect for reinforcing messages. The onscreen text can be a design element that adds to the production, not a boring overlay.

Using typography is another clever way to bolster a video message. Keep the type elements brief and easy-to-understand. Statements that flow with the video will work much better than long blocks of text that slow down the flow.

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3. How do you choose an animation style that fits your brand?

Choosing a style that works to elevate your branded content should be done early in the production process. Some routes to choose from are character animations, purely type animations, 3D animations, or explainer style videos.

Branding is a hugely important aspect of marketing. Animated marketing video production offers ample opportunities to express your brand’s personality. You can infuse your brand’s voice, values, and culture into every frame through unique animations, characters, and storytelling.

Toast can help you choose an animation style that fits your brand and delivers a memorable message. The animation studio’s job is to create a strong, unique brand image that resonates with your target audience.

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4. When is animation better than live-action - and when is it not?

One of the significant advantages of animated marketing videos is their flexibility in storytelling. You’re not limited to real-world constraints or locations; you can create any environment that best suits your message.

This flexibility allows for creative storytelling that might be challenging in live-action videos. Animation also allows you to build a cast of characters without the drawback of paying a cast of actors. Once you have an animation asset library, you can reuse it in later projects for a fraction of the cost of shooting new footage.

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5. Catering To Diverse Audiences

Animated videos are versatile in reaching diverse audiences. They can appeal to people of all ages, backgrounds, and languages. This inclusivity is especially valuable in a globalised world where brands often seek to connect with a wide range of customers.

Having an audience see themselves onscreen is crucial in establishing a relationship with the viewers. It’s easy to design animated characters that span global borders, broadening the appeal of your message.

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6. Emphasising Emotional Appeal

Storytelling is at the core of effective marketing, and animated videos excel at creating emotional connections. You can elicit emotions that resonate with your audience through expressive characters, relatable situations, and well-crafted stories.

This emotional appeal can leave a lasting impression and increase brand loyalty. Music also goes a long way when building a bond with your audience. Try out a few test audio tracks that resonate with your storyline.

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A graphic shape of a knife in cut fruit slices

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7. Data-Driven Insights

In the digital realm, data is king. When shared online, animated marketing videos provide a treasure trove of data-driven insights. You can track analytics such as views, engagement rates, and click-through rates to check on the success of your videos.

Using this data is invaluable when making adjustments to the content. Building a suite of content alternatives is a great way to test what works with your audience. You’ll then be able to tailor your content to appeal to specific viewers.

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8. Mobile-First Compatibility

With the increasing use of mobile devices for content consumption, animated marketing videos are ideal for mobile-first marketing strategies. Their visually engaging nature makes them ideal for small screens and touch interactions.

Be aware of the final delivery specs at the storyboarding stage and build animations to fit. It’s difficult to shave off the sides of a widescreen animation to cram it into a portrait social format. It’s best to plan and make the visual fit the output.

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9. Shareability and Virality

Animated videos are often more likely to go viral because of their entertainment value and shareability. People who find a video amusing, informative, or emotionally resonant will likely share it with their social networks.

Sharing on social media is like multiplying your initial marketing budget for free. If you do achieve a viral hit, the data insights provided should help tailor any upcoming content so you can try and repeat the win.

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10. Cost-Effective Production

Creating animated videos can be more cost-effective than live-action videos. These cost savings are more significant for complex or high-budget scenarios.

This allows businesses of all sizes to tap into the potential of video marketing. A kit of parts is a great way to realise cost savings over multiple channels.

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How can Toast help with animated TV advertising?

Animated marketing videos for businesses and animated explainer videos have become a cornerstone of modern marketing strategies. They can capture attention, explore pain points, convey complex information, showcase brand personality, and create emotional connections. Animated video can work well in the healthcare setting, explaining complex medical issues can be easier using animated stories.

Their flexibility, compatibility, and cost-effectiveness make them an invaluable tool in the marketing arsenal. To stay competitive in the ever-evolving marketing landscape, consider integrating animated videos into your strategy to engage, educate, and convert your target audience effectively.

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FAQs

Should every brand use an explainer video?

Only when the product needs clarity or a brand world that live-action cannot show easily. Otherwise shoot live-action and make sure storytelling is at the heart of your output.

Can animated ads run on UK TV?

Yes, if they clear Clearcast like any other TVC. Many large brands use purely animated TV adverts, they're a great way to simplify complex messages.

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Are animated marketing videos cheaper than live-action?

Sometimes for abstract explainers - not always for broadcast TV. Treat animation as a craft choice, it should lift your brand not be a way to save money.

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Author:
Bob Hough
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