In today’s competitive business landscape, visual content has become an imperative tool for businesses in any industry due to the rise of social media platforms and media consumption globally. It is effective in captivating audiences and elevating brand presence – making it a powerful marketing asset for companies to grow their business. Among the myriad types of visual content available, 2D animation has been shown to be a dynamic and impactful strategy that can benefit businesses of various industries for its ability to convey complex ideas, increase brand awareness, and not to mention, attract, engage and acquire prospects successfully. In this article, we will delve into the power of 2D animation and the reasons why it is important for businesses, big or small.
Key Takeaways:
- 2D animation is effective for conveying complex ideas, increasing brand awareness and engaging audiences.
- Key benefits of 2D animation for businesses include attention-grabbing visuals, higher conversion rates, versatility across channels and enhanced branding.
- 2D animation can be used for social media, marketing and storytelling purposes.
What is 2D animation?
2D animation is an animation style that involves creating the illusion of movement within a two-dimensional space. It is one of the most popular animation styles and is well-loved by audiences of all ages. In 2D animation, characters, objects and environments appear flat and two-dimensional, with all elements moving linearly from one point to another. Just like the classical animation films you have definitely seen on TV and in movies growing up. Some notable ones include “The Lion King” and “Beauty And The Beast” produced by the renowned Walt Disney animation studios.
How is 2D animation made?
In the animation industry, 2D animation is created by a team of people which includes an art director, character animation artists, producers, scriptwriters and more. The production work process of 2D animation involves creating a sequence of illustrated frames depicting characters and scenes, with key poses and movements defined as keyframes and the frames in between filled in through in-betweening, resulting in a fluid motion. These frames are then cleaned up, colored, and combined with backgrounds before adding sound, music, and effects to produce the final animated piece, which is rendered and exported for distribution.
The process of 2D animation consists of 3 phases: pre-production, production, and post-production.
Pre-production
The pre-production includes story development, script writing, character designs, storyboarding, choosing colour palettes, background preparation, and voice-overs.
In this step, a script should cover all the visual actions and storyline, while the storyboard is created based on the script. The storyboard serves as a visual representation of the sequence of actions and events in an organised manner.
Then, characters are created, including the backgrounds and other visual elements of the animation. After that has been set, animators will then decide on the colour palettes of characters, objects and lighting.
Production
Production is where all created assets are gathered to produce the scenes. This includes the character activities, animation, tracing or cleaning up the animation, colouring, compositing, and exporting. Animators create an exposure sheet that has all the instructions on how to make each scene which is divided into 5 parts such as actions and timing, dialogues and music, animation layers, backgrounds, and view perspective.
Post-production
Post-production is the final phase of 2D animation where it is enhanced with sound effects or voice-overs to boost the emotional connection of the animation to the audience. Once ready, the animated video is rendered and exported in different formats and is ready for distribution.
How can 2D animation help your business?
2D animation offers several benefits for businesses, making it a valuable tool for various marketing and communication purposes. Here are some reasons why 2D animation is beneficial for businesses:
2D animated videos are attention-grabbing
Nowadays, it is crucial for video marketers to keep audiences from skipping a video in order to convey the content of the marketing video entirely. Hence, businesses utilise 2D animated videos as it provides a higher chance of engaging their audience and retaining attention, especially with the plethora of video content surfacing online.
With beautiful illustrations and effective storytelling, 2D animated videos can be fun, unique and memorable – which is the perfect medium for marketing teams to make use of in this era of video marketing. They have the greater advantage of capturing the audience’s attention because people respond more strongly to visual stimuli – in other words, we are just naturally drawn to appealing visuals.
2D animated videos increase conversion rates
2D animated videos are a great tool for businesses to increase conversion rates. Take for example, explainer videos which are essentially animated videos with the purpose of explaining a product or a service and are usually placed on the homepage of a website. This allows viewers to retain viewers attention and absorb information at a faster rate which consequently influences consumer purchasing decisions – increasing conversion rates. 2D animated videos have a great effect on converting more sales as opposed to reading long texts or viewing static images.
2D animated videos are suitable for all marketing channels
2D animated videos are such convertible mediums that can pretty much be applied anywhere. Whether it’s on your brand’s social media platforms, on the homepage of your company website or through TV advertisements, animated videos work across all marketing channels. This is extremely beneficial as it enables businesses to generate leads from various platforms allowing the brand to reach a bigger audience. This also means that businesses can reuse a single animated video on various marketing channels – reducing considerable costs by optimising a marketing video.
2D animated videos are versatile
One of the best things about 2D animated videos is the fact that it is extremely versatile – more so than traditional live-action videos. With animation, there are countless ways to use an animated marketing video. Businesses can use it as a promotional video, inspire action through animated commercials, or even enhance visual content in email marketing. We mean it, you can use it for literally anything. Not to mention the limitless creative possibilities that can be brought to life through a 2D animated video.
2D animated videos are cost-effective
Despite popular belief, animation services are actually more budget-friendly when compared to live-action videos. This is because live-action productions require real-life actors, set design, and camera equipment along with a professional production team in order to produce a high-quality production video.
On the contrary, you will only need to hire an animation video company to create a 2D animated video for your marketing campaigns which will be more cost-efficient and effective. In addition, animations can always be reused and modified without having to start a new one from scratch and repurposed for future marketing campaigns. If you do not have an in-house team to create your desired animated video, you can look for an animation studio to outsource animation services.
2D animated videos save time and resources
As aforementioned, live-action productions require a lot of effort and resources to produce the final video. This can take a longer duration for planning and completion due to the time spent on the logistics of hiring actors, finding suitable set locations and coordinating calendars. Whereas an animated video will take lesser time to produce, create, edit, customise and upload – saving valuable time and maximising your assets. This is a significant factors for businesses as the longer the time spent on creating video content can increase the costs of the project.
2D animated videos simplify communication
Complex ideas or processes can be challenging to explain using traditional text or images alone. 2D animation is a great way to combat this as it is effective in convey messages and stories in a succinct and clear manner through visual content. Animation primarily uses appealing visuals and sound effects entertainingly in the shortest amount of time – allowing the explanation of complex ideas and concepts to be simple and easily understood. Because it is fun and engaging, information expressed through an animated video is generally easier to digest. Hence, allowing the message of the video to be retained much better in comparison to boring dry videos that require a whole lot of reading.
In addition, animation can help convey messages with an appropriate and informative tone. This is a great approach for when you need to talk about difficult topics or portray distressing visuals that may be too overbearing through live-action videos. It is also important to note that humans process information visually, hence why animation is such an effective medium for conveying messages. Businesses can also use character animation to enhance storytelling as character animation has the ability to evoke an emotional connection with audiences.
2D animated videos improve search engine rankings
2D animated videos are generally a great tool for attracting your target audience because people prefer watching videos to gain information – increasing organic traffic on your website. Moreover, videos help in keeping website visitors stay on your page for a longer time – improving search engine ranking factors. Google also ranks animated video content higher than textual content which is why you’ll often see video recommendations in top search queries. This is because search engines rank animated videos high as it engages more people compared to other types of video content.
2D animated videos enhance branding and identity
2D animated videos serve as a dynamic tool to enhance branding and identity by offering a visually consistent and engaging way to communicate a company’s values, mission, products, and services. Through custom animations of logos, mascots, and brand elements, businesses can create memorable and cohesive brand experiences that resonate with audiences. These animations can infuse creativity into marketing campaigns, social media content, and presentations, helping to establish a distinct and recognisable brand identity while capturing attention, fostering emotional connections, and reinforcing key messages in a manner that is both versatile and impactful.
2D animated videos allows for creative approaches
2D animation offers a wide range of artistic styles and creative possibilities. Businesses can tailor the animation to suit their brand’s tone, whether it’s humorous, serious, or informative. Not to mention the limitless creative possibilities that can be brought to life through a 2D animated video. This is one of the best things about animation – whatever you can imagine can literally be animated. If you want an elephant to walk through your product’s demo reel or you want to create a futuristic environment that shows the longevity of your product, you can!
2D animated videos have a universal appeal
Language barriers can be overcome with 2D animation, as visual storytelling is universally understood. This makes it an ideal choice for businesses with a global audience, enabling them to convey messages effectively across cultures. 2D animation is also suitable for audiences of all ages, whether it is for younger children, teenagers, adults or even older adults, animation is a well-loved content type that can enjoyed by everyone. Additionally, animation can be easily understood by people of all cultures around the world.
2D animated videos provides businesses a competitive edge
Integrating 2D animated videos provides businesses with a significant competitive edge by effectively capturing and retaining audience attention in today’s digital landscape. These videos offer a visually engaging and memorable way to convey complex information, showcase products or services, and tell compelling stories, allowing companies to stand out from their competitors. The versatility of 2D animation enables businesses to create diverse content, from explainer videos to marketing campaigns, which can be easily shared on various platforms, increasing brand visibility and customer engagement. By harnessing the power of 2D animation, businesses can communicate messages more effectively, build stronger connections with their target audience, and ultimately drive growth and success in a competitive market.
Overall, 2D animation offers businesses an accessible and effective way to communicate, promote their brand, and connect with their target audience. Its ability to simplify complex ideas, engage viewers emotionally, and leave a lasting impression makes it a valuable asset for any type of business.
The different ways you can use 2D animation for your business
Explainer videos and product demos
2D animation is an excellent tool for creating explainer videos that break down complex concepts, processes, or ideas into easily understandable visuals. These videos can be used on websites, social media, or during presentations to educate customers about products or services. Similarly, businesses can use 2D animation to create product demonstration videos that showcase not only features but also the benefits of their offerings in an engaging and compelling manner.
Take a look at Superpixel’s take on a 2D animated explainer video for AIA’s Guarantee Protection Plus explainer video illustrating what is included in the insurance package. In this video, the message is conveyed by using appealing visuals centred on a main character and texts that takes you on a journey that is relatable to that of real life.
Marketing and advertisements
Animated advertisements stand out and capture viewers’ attention. Businesses can leverage 2D animation to create eye-catching and memorable ads for TV, online platforms, or even in-store displays. The versatility of 2D animation allows for creative storytelling that can effectively communicate the value of a product or service while leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
Check out this stunning example of a 2D animated video done by the animation team at Superpixel for McDonald’s Family Mental Wellness Campaign. In this animated project, the storyline was presented through vivid and eye-catching illustrations to communicate a heartfelt message – engaging viewers throughout the entire video while evoking an emotional connection to create a lasting impression. A great way to use storytelling in marketing campaigns.
Training and E-learning
Incorporating 2D animation into training materials and e-learning modules can enhance the learning experience. Animated videos can illustrate procedures, scenarios, or case studies, making the training process more engaging and interactive. This approach can be particularly effective for employee onboarding, skills development, and compliance training.
Internal communications and presentations
Businesses can use 2D animation to create internal communication materials such as animated presentations, reports, and updates. Animation can simplify data visualisation, making it easier for employees to understand and engage with important information. It can also add a dynamic element to company meetings and presentations, helping to convey key messages more effectively.
Branding and logo
2D animation can breathe life into a business’s branding by incorporating animated versions of logos, mascots, or brand elements. Animated logos can be used in video intros, social media profiles, and other promotional materials, contributing to a consistent and memorable brand identity.
Storytelling and content creation
Businesses can harness the power of storytelling through 2D animation to create compelling narratives that resonate with their target audience. This can include creating animated short films, web series, or content for social media that communicates the company’s values, mission, and culture in an entertaining and emotionally impactful way.
Social media
Short, shareable 2D animations are well-suited for social media platforms. Businesses can create animated infographics, GIFs, or short videos that quickly convey information, entertain, or spark conversations. These animations have the potential to go viral, increasing brand visibility and engagement.
Here’s SuperPixel’s take on creating 2D animated gifs for SGX’s Bull Charge Charity Run marketing campaign to engage audiences and promote the event on social media channels.
Elevate your business with us | SuperPixel 2D Animation Vancouver Studio
SuperPixel is one of South East Asia’s leading animation studios and has recently established a studio hub in Vancouver, Canada. With years of industry experience, we specialise in a wide range of animation services including 2D and 3D animation, character animation, infographics, explainer video, product animation and so much more.
If you are looking to create 2D animated videso, whether you aim to showcase a product, tell a story, or simply grab the attention of your target audience, our experienced team of animators will guarantee you the best video animation services. Visit our website to view our latest works and client success stories to see why you should consider using our animation services to grow your brand.
Visit our website and contact us to learn more about how we can help you visualise your brand through the power of animation today!
