It’s a well-known fact that the use of video in your marketing strategies can drastically improve user engagement. The animation then improves on the media form by allowing you to create whatever you can imagine. It takes away real-world constraints and barriers, allowing you to fully realise and achieve your creative vision.
<h2-richtext>What are the different styles of animation?<h2-richtext>
There is a range of different styles of animation, we’re going to give you a brief explanation of the 6 different styles of animation your business can incorporate into its branding and marketing strategy.
<h3-richtext>Traditional Animation<h3-richtext>
Traditional animation, sometimes referred to as cel animation, was made famous by the likes of Walt Disney and other studios like Warner Brothers. It’s an incredibly time-consuming form of animation that has, for the most part, been replaced by 2D animations that create a similar effect.
It is created by hand-drawing each frame. When you consider that this form of animation uses 12 or 24 frames per second it’s easy to see how hand drawing thousands of individual frames is incredibly time-consuming. An example of this style of animation would be the 1937 release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
<h3-richtext>2D Animation<h3-richtext>
2D animation is the same as traditional animation apart from the fact that it uses computers. The use of computers drastically speeds up the creation process thanks to the likes of digital colouring and the ability to scan outlined drawings directly into the computer where they can be further edited.
3D animation adds depth to what is being created. Parts of a 3D character that aren’t visible in the animation still exist even if they’re not seen at that moment, whereas in 2D animation the only things that exist are what is visible at that moment, there’s no hidden depth.
One of the real strengths of 3D animation is that it can be used to create realistic environments and visuals. The added depth allows for believable textures, lighting and objects to be created. This makes it perfect for showcasing complex technical products in industries such as engineering and renewable energy.
<h3-richtext>Stop Motion Animation<h3-richtext>
Stop motion is an older animation technique that has stood the test of time and remains widely used to this day. The objects that you are animating are photographed and then between every photographed frame, they are physically moved into their new position. This is repeated time and time again till there are enough photographed frames that when viewed quickly it creates the effect of motion.
There are many different mediums this style of animation can be created with. The Wallace and Gromit films are a prime example of stop motion animation are created using plasticine (the technique known as claymation).
<h3-richtext>Motion Graphics<h3-richtext>
Motion graphics combine typography and simple graphics to create an easy to follow video where your message will be put across clearly and concisely.
Unlike most other forms of animation, the style shies away from characters and narrative arc. This works well with businesses whose brand identity doesn’t compliment the use of characters in a video. For the same reason, motion graphics as a style favours explainer videos and promotional videos thanks to its lack of visual distraction and ability to clearly convey messages.
<h3-richtext>Whiteboard Animation<h3-richtext>
Many people are already familiar with whiteboard animations thanks to their popularity on YoutTube. It’s a simple concept where hand-drawn illustrations with movement create a visually engaging method of walking the viewer through and explaining a subject with the use of visual cues.
Many people resonate so well with this style as it mimics the classroom learning experience. There are minimal distractions, but enough visual stimulation to keep the viewer engaged. The use of in-depth explanation through a voice-over combined with the key points shown on screen helps the viewer understand and remember what they have just learned.
<h2-richtext>What style of animation should your business use?<h2-richtext>
There are several things you should be considering when determining what style of animation your business should be using:
Your business branding - Does the style of animation complement and work with your existing branding and ascetic or will it look out of place?
Target audience - Will the style land well with your target audience or will it feel off-putting
Your budget - Different styles of animation take different amounts of time to create, the more complex the more time will be needed to do the animation justice.
The competition - If you’re wanting to truly stand out from your competition then you’re going to want to choose an animation style that can’t easily be associated with their branding by accident.
<h3-richtext>So, an animated video is what your business needs, now what?<h3-richtext>
It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a clear idea of what you want for your business, or just a rough idea, our team can work with you to come up with an animation that will help your business achieve its goals.
With over 20 years of experience specializing in helping B2B companies, we would love to start the conversation with you about creating a custom animation.
