Interested in dipping your toes into animation for your marketing content? Great news! There are plenty of different styles and options available to you, and we’re here to help guide you through making the best decision for your business.
When selecting the best animation style for your marketing needs, it’s important to consider which of those choices would best suit your brand and budget. An effective animated video for your business should also send a clear message about who you are and what you do.
Let’s explore the different styles of animation you can incorporate into your video marketing plans today!
| Type of animations | Descriptions |
| 2D character animation | Focus on character & narrative, typically an emotional message |
| Motion Graphics | Able to depict complex ideas in a simple way |
| 3D Animation | Gives a more sophisticated effect compare to the rest |
| Stop Motion | Intricate, unique and eye-catching – make your brand distinctive |
| Whiteboard animation | Illustrator draws in real-time on a whiteboard or flat surface |
| Typography animations | Series of moving typefaces that emphasise the message/story of the brand |
1. 2D or Character Animation
Although the popularity of 2D animation in movies has declined in recent years, this style has remained in favour in commercial contexts, and is widely used in marketing contexts.
In a 2D animated video, various characters and scenes are presented in a two-dimensional environment to portray a certain narrative. The storytelling element is a strong suit of 2D animation, and you can leverage this to create a powerful emotional impact that sticks with the viewer long after they’ve seen your video.
2D and character animation is also one of the things we do best here at The Visual Team! Have a look at what we’ve created in the past.
2. Motion Graphics Animation
This animation style can be summed up as graphic design that moves. Motion graphics videos are very colourful, engaging and eye-catching while still being simple and straightforward in its messaging,
Instead of using a character as the focus of the video, the motion graphics style utilises moving shapes, images and copy to weave a narrative. These elements can be accompanied by music and a voiceover to deliver emotional impact and memorability. This video format is also budget-friendly and gives you the space to make edits and additions at your own pace.
This ad for McDonald’s is a great example of simple yet engaging motion graphics.
3. 3D Animation
The more stylised and realistic cousin to 2D animation, 3D techniques will give your marketing video a sophisticated finish.
3D has overtaken 2D animation in popularity recently. In fact, the majority of animated movies you’ve watched in the past decade have likely been 3D animated.
3D animation techniques allow you to play around with textures and lighting, creating a truly immersive and dynamic effect. Just like 2D animation, this style typically emphasises a narrative or emotional message. It can also be incorporated into other styles of video, including live action!
Here’s an example of 3D elements put to effective use in a live action marketing video.
4. Stop Motion Animation
You’ve probably seen this technique used in animated movies like The Nightmare Before Christmas. This unique animation method involves carefully photographing an object while it’s moved in tiny amounts. When these photographs of minute movements are compiled, it gives the illusion of smooth motion.
Stop motion animation is very labour intensive and it would be challenging to make changes or fixes post-filming. However, there’s a great deal of freedom in experimenting with various objects, materials and textures. The uniqueness and intricacy of the final product will surely make a distinctive impact for your business.
5. Whiteboard Animation
Like the name suggests, this style of animation typically makes use of an actual whiteboard or other white background. An illustrator proceeds to draw, sketch and write on this surface in real time. This effectively brings a story to life before the audience’s eyes.
Whiteboard animation employs static images and minimal colours. However, the enduring popularity of white board animation videos relies on its simplicity, engaging approach and efficiency in offering detailed explanations of a product or service. You can also incorporate voiceover narration in your whiteboard video to further ensure the viewer’s understanding of your intended message.
Take a look at this whiteboard video created by a freight shipping company in order to highlight their services.
6. Typography Animation
This is an animation style that uses text exclusively, but presented in a dynamic way through motion effects and a beautiful selection of fonts.
The voice narration or script is depicted as a series of moving typefaces that emphasise the message of your product or the story of your brand. This style is particularly effective in conveying emotions even without the use of images. When executed well, a piece of typography animation is surprisingly effective at entertaining the audience and reinforcing your business’ image in the minds of viewers.
Check out this award-winning take on a form of typographic design known as kinetic typography.
We hope this gives you more insight into the animation styles that could potentially enhance your video marketing content. If you’re interested in further incorporating animation into your projects, give us a shout on our site and we’ll get back to you with some great ideas!
