Animation may seem like a whole new world to a lot of businesses, but it’s a very powerful and effective way of marketing your brand online.

Here we’ll look at a few of the different types of animation which are available, and how these differ in what they can do for your brand. We are an experienced video production company and can assist in the creation of bespoke animated videos for your business. So, before you get started, read below to get clued up on the different types of animation, to help you decide which type is right for your business.

How many types of animation are there?

There’s an endless collection of different styles of animation, as it just comes down to the creativeness of the brief (and the skill of the animator of course). This means that you’re spoilt for choice when coming up with ideas on how to market your business.

Some of the most popular types of animation include:

• Whiteboard Animation - A simple black and white style of animation which sees the content being drawn in front of the viewer’s eyes. Typically low cost.

• 2D vector-based animation - Creating 2D characters or graphics on a computer, allows for a lot of creativity and branding to be used.
• Hyper-real 3D computer animation - Using CGI to create realistic looking 3D imagery often of products, commonly used to bring a product to life on screen.
• Traditional hand-drawn animation - Hand-drawn sketches and frames are created for every movement and every step and then pieced together to create the video. A nostalgic and traditional style, but great for creating beautiful content.‍
• Stop motion - Taking a series of photos or drawings and then laying them one after another to create the video when played back at full speed.

Which type is best really depends on your brand. If you’re a sleek, corporate company then perhaps a glossy 3D animation might be best to attract those big clients. Whereas if you’re a small local company and want to come across as authentic and real, then perhaps a simple 2D animation might be best. Speaking to an animator or a video production agency can often help as they’ve got a good understanding of bringing ideas to life.

Animation Styles and Types

As mentioned there are various different types of animation to suit a range of budgets for example here’s a nice example of some simple whiteboard-style/hand-drawn animation:

These are great for a lower budget and if you don’t want something too flashy. However, they’re an excellent way of getting your message across. You often see these used as explainer videos as you can walk someone step by step through a process by literally drawing it out in front of them.

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Think about what platform you’re sharing the content on and consumer behaviour on that platform. If you’re posting on LinkedIn, you probably want a sleek and a professionally animated video to attract high-value prospects and clients. Whereas on Twitter, it might be less important and you can put out something quick and easy to grab people’s attention.

What type of animation is most popular?

Again it comes down to personal preference. On social media, you see a lot of 2D computer-generated animation as it’s really effective for grabbing people’s attention. It’s also quite cost-effective, as short 10 second videos rarely end up costing an arm and a leg.

It’s also proven that including animation in your banner ads makes them 4.5 times more effective than static ads!

2D computer animation is a favoured technique by many, as you can be so creative with it. 

At RAW Pictures, we’ve created some brilliant videos over the years for clients in this style, which you can find out about here. 

How can animation videos be used for business?

We’ve already seen that using video animation in your banner ads makes them more effective than those without, but how else can you use animation as part of your digital marketing strategy?

Let’s imagine you’ve got a really complex product offering (a fantastic cyber security product for example), and you know people will fall asleep if they have to read a 10 page white paper about how great it is.

Even live-action video might not work here - a 15-minute talking head can certainly get dull after a while.

Whereas creating a lively and engaging animated video can help get the message across in an interesting way, whilst keeping people watching throughout. You can have facts and figures popping up on the screen, different services being brought to life in front of the viewer’s eyes, it all depends on the brief!

Video animation is also an excellent tool if you’ve got physical products that you maybe haven’t quite finished yet. Create a nice animation using a 3D render of the product and wow customers with how fantastic it looks (then just make sure the real thing looks as good!).

One reason that animation helps with the sell, is because it can sometimes be nostalgic for buyers. You can generate a lot of emotion through moving images, especially if the style of the animation happens to remind the viewer of their favourite cartoon from when they were younger.

There’s plenty to think about when it comes to animation, especially when it comes to using it as part of your business’ digital marketing! It’s incredibly effective when used correctly though.

To find out more about RAW Pictures video production services, get in touch with us. If you have any questions or want to find out how we can help produce a fantastic animated video for you, we’d be happy to have a chat.