The Importance of Video Animation in Marketing Today

Animation is defined as movement simulation, which is created by displaying a series of images or frames. It comes in many forms such as stop-motion, hand-drawn animation, cut-out animation, 3D or CGI animation, VFX and even rotoscoping. It has a long history, but it is no longer an art form that is primarily focused on entertaining children. Nowadays, animation is used in numerous industries including education, creative arts, simulations, gaming, scientific visualization and even advertisements. In this article, we are going to take a look at the origin of video animation and how it can be beneficial in marketing today.

The Origin of Animation

Discussing the entire history of animation in this post would be impossible because a lot has happened in order to give rise to what we experience as video animation today. It is also a field that’s full of innovators, unparalleled geniuses and game changers.

The use of moving images or pictures to tell stories has been there since prehistoric times, but animation, as we perceive it today, started in the 19th century. It developed through the invention of gadgets such as the zoetrope and magic lantern. After cinema emerged, things dramatically changed, primarily through short films, back in the silent era.

As technology advanced, so did the scope of what could be achieved with animation. It evolved to one of the most significant genres of cinema, both commercially and artistically and became a defining element of children’s entertainment. Even today, the genre continues to grow, both in popularity and sophistication, with new techniques and technology making it useful in various industries.

This art form has been fundamental in some of the most successful advertising and marketing campaigns of the past several years. Big tech giants like Google and Apple know the importance of animation. However, you do not need to be a billion dollar company to be able to benefit from animation when it comes to marketing. Here are some of the benefits of utilizing video animation:

Animations are More Visual

The first and perhaps the most beneficial reason for using this art form is that it is rich media. Animated videos are made of images that create rich media moments. This appeals to the senses of the audience and provides a simple and effective means of communicating important messages. The best part is that visuals tend to be consumed more easily than text. According to Zabisco, over 90% of the information that is transmitted to the brain is visual. Also, visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text in the brain.

Video Animations are More Memorable

Chances are you remember the last animation you watched and that is because animated content tends to be more entertaining. Great animations are popular and people get the urge to share them with their friends. As such, the chances of an animated clip going viral are much higher than that of a blog post.

Keeping in mind the goal of content marketing is to gain the attention of the audience and hold on to it as long as possible, this is one of the biggest benefits you can get by using video animation in your marketing campaign.

Video Animations Go Past the Digital Noise

Content shock is a huge challenge for almost every organization. With increasing noise in the digital arena, content creators and marketers have to find ways to differentiate their content from the crowd. Animation presents an excellent medium to achieve that.

Animated Clips are Easy to Update

There’s no denying that there has been a dramatic growth in content creation over the past several years. However, one of the biggest challenges is updating all the old content. Whether you are a salesperson going through old presentations, a trainer ensuring compliance content is current with the rules and regulations or a marketer reshaping your branding; updating content is never an easy task. Video is even more challenging. You simply cannot reshoot scenes and update vital parts of your message if you used live-action video, without considering an array of factors.

This is where video animation has the edge. Animated clips give more flexibility are they are easier to update. All you have to do is edit animations, change the text, or even do an entire overhaul of your clip.

Cost Effective

The lack of a huge budget is one of the biggest challenges that most video producers encounter. According to Zabsico, 41 percent of marketers say that a lack of funds is one of the primary reasons they are reluctant towards using video.

Live action expenses often include finding an ideal location to shoot, suitable actors, video equipment and production costs.

On the other hand, video animation just requires a monthly subscription to make engaging, relevant and entertaining clips. It’s also cost-effective to use professional animators to create a video that will meet your marketing needs.

If you want to build a more robust customer base and boost your brand, animation is certainly the best way to do it. Another great thing is that you can use animations in your marketing emails and newsletters, on social media, your website and almost anywhere.