You wouldn’t think that there would be much scope for creativity and artistry in a PSA that simply encourages the public to use the “half flush” on their toilet to save water.
But as usual, Buck proves otherwise.
This delightful, playful video ad starts out with a catchy poem that explains how precious water is as a resource in our everyday lives, reinforced with gorgeous claymation style animation, and ends on a note of camaraderie and togetherness, encouraging all of us to do our part and conserve water in small, everyday ways.
Sometimes, you don’t even need a clever script in voiceover.
You just need clever, bright, fun animation and music to communicate your brand’s energy through your commercial ads.
And it’s contagious!
Like KEAN Fruits did with their mixed media commercial animated video.
The clever thing about this ad was that it squarely targets a common pain point when it comes to commercial flying-- kids on a plane.
Most airlines would rather emphasize their comfort or service, while ignoring the tiny screaming elephant in the cabin.
But this animated commercial flips the script and addresses it fearlessly, promising that everyone on their flights will be happy, regardless of their age.
This is easily one of our all-time favorites, with a beautiful visual style, smooth and slick animation, and clever concept that blows us away every time.
No words or script needed, just a lovely adventurous journey through a magical world, like one would experience playing the Dots mobile game.
This is another great example of how you can make a mundane feature from an everyday product really fun and entertaining, while also staying fresh in the viewer’s minds.
By using just the right amount of humor and lighthearted animation, American Express' message is transformed into an enjoyable experience that the viewer relates to, appreciates and remembers long after they’ve watched it.
Still not convinced about commercial videos? Check out handpicked video ad stats to help you learn more!
Kicking off our list is this unapologetically loud and proud animated video from Studio River in France.
It’s dazzling, it’s crazy, it’s funny.
And most importantly, it showcases the studio’s uninhibited creativity and spirit, embracing its own weird and wonderful culture and style and screaming it to the world.
How exciting can the promo video for a book possibly be? See for yourself!
In storytelling there’s an important rule: show, don’t tell.
This is a great example of a video that does just that.
Starting with a flow of blood filling into the shape of a book, the mood is set right away.
As the pages flip and literally come to life, we’re treated to a blend of traditional and text animation, with an array of elements teasing the story– all while giving away next to nothing about the book itself.
It’s the best kind of preview or trailer, where you’re left with enough teasing hints but the story isn’t spoilered or ruined.
Hollywood could learn a thing or two from this trailer!
The supercar company Lamborghini isn’t known for subtlety.
And quite fittingly, neither is this stunning fan-made ad.
Hand-drawn sketchy animation is fused with more modern methods to bring out the raw, brutal sensation of speed and auto racing, while showcasing Lamborghini’s iconic jaw-dropping design flair.
In terms of pure creativity, this animated video takes the checkered flag in our hearts, and it’s plain to see why.
The holiday season is wonderful, but it can also be stressful. So much shopping, and then there’s preparing a huge dinner after all that.
So Albertsons Market put out this video to tell you there’s a better, easier way to do this holiday: let them do all the heavy lifting.
The animation is simple but delightful, with creative transitions and a charming voiceover.
Also notice the strategy at work here: while everyone else is focusing on the rampant consumerism and shopping aspect, Albertsons cleverly went in the opposite direction to promote themselves.
And it sure stands out.
For that reason alone it makes our hotlist, but the animation is just the cherry on top.
Speaking of one form of art depicting another form of art, here’s this wonderfully creative animated video for the Vitoria and Barcelona Jazz Festival, sponsored by Voll Damm beer.
This beautiful short piece attempts to visualize the lovely chaos of jazz in swirling liquid forms, and we think it does a “Damm” good job of it.
We’ll drink (and vibe) to that!
Stop motion is an infectiously likable style of animation, and it’s easy to see why.
This simple animated commercial for DHL is playful and mesmerizing.
There’s no deep message here, just fun.
And that makes it both enjoyable and memorable.
Animation has the power to add that little magic touch to things, and does it so well.
Gulli is a French children’s TV channel, and they enhanced their ad breaks with these absolutely delightful little animated clips.
It just adds that edge that makes the whole so much more than the sum of its parts.
When done right, animation can make just about anything exciting and entertaining.
Consider this beautifully animated ad for El-Sallab, a ceramic tile company based in Egypt that’s over 100 years old.
Even with the language barrier, you can’t help but watch and get drawn into the story!
The whole world is online now, and making sure your business makes it into the search engine results is critical.
That’s why keywords are so important.
But not everyone is a literary wizard.
Fortunately, Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool is here to save your day.
Their animated video quite suitably features a dazzling wizard battling keywords to find you the best one.
It’s short and simple but an effective concept paired with lovely animation and bright graphics.
Solar energy seems like a dream come true.
Endless clean free energy that seemingly anyone can access? Wow!
But then reality crashes down and you’re lost in a baffling labyrinth of confusing information and don’t know where to go.
So Google created a “roadmap” of sorts with Project Sunroof.
And true to their style, they crafted a beautiful animated video to go with it and explain how it all works.
We love the analogy of the treasure map helping you find your way, and as usual, their animation is a ray of sunshine.
College should be an amazing time of growth and discovery, where you launch yourself into the career of your choice, spread your wings and fly.
But sometimes, life throws you a curveball and you get tangled in the weeds.
Seneca College took a different approach to student recruitment by addressing people who went to college but couldn’t finish, or ended up in careers they were unsatisfied with.
This is a demographic that’s confused and wishes they could start over, but don’t know how– or even if it’s possible.
Their beautifully animated video speaks their language, really understanding their situation, and offering renewed hope.
The graphics and visuals really complement the script and message beautifully, making the whole greater than the sum of its parts– much like the college experience itself.
Once you’re in first place, you don’t relax and switch on cruise control.
You have to keep innovating, breaking the mold, lest someone steals your crown.
Toyota knows this all too well, and it’s been the secret to their success.
But it’s more than just an ethos. It’s a story.
This playful animated video, incorporating a blend of live action and a 3D / stop motion style, flips through the pages of history, sharing their amazing journey so far.
And nothing brings a brand to live like a good story!
This stunning animated video for Wimbledon captures everything we love about animated storytelling.
It’s deceptively simple but says so much in such a short time.
It starts out in simple sketchy black and white animation, then fills with color, and the styles change with the eras, getting more complex and smooth and moving from 2D to 3D– all while depicting one single continuous tennis match.
The heroes of the sport appear and transform one to another, matches go from small in-person spectators to international televised broadcasts.
Even the ball changes color from white to yellow.
There’s no voiceover or dialog because the animation does all the heavy lifting.
This is a great example of what we mean when we keep saying that the best animated storytelling is greater than the sum of its parts.
To be honest here, we love Apple’s beautiful videos as much as we love their machines.
And this one’s no exception.
This one takes “show, don’t tell” to the next level.
Rather than go on about the various features in the Apple ecosystem and listing technical specs, it paints a picture of how they work to calm and de-stress you from your busy daily routine.
We feel more relaxed just watching it!
Creativity is critical to a good video. If you want your video to stand out from the crowd and be enjoyed from start to finish and stay memorable, then you must flex those creative muscles and think outside the box.
This video from Harvey Nichols is an excellent example.
It’s totally not what you expect, and right till the end, you’re wondering what the message really is.
And then the punchline hits: no need to steal from their stores when there’s a myriad of free (and legal) rewards you could enjoy instead, and not have to risk jail time to enjoy them!
It’s clever, funny, a tad subversive– and above all, memorable.
You could say it “stole” our hearts!
We absolutely love this adorable animated video for Android.
It’s a story based on the simple rock-paper-scissors game, of all things!
The characters are beautifully animated, and the story delights and surprises at every turn, until the reveal at the end that our differences shouldn’t just be tolerated but celebrated.
This is what we mean when we talk about the power of storytelling for business!
Meditation seems simple and straightforward enough, but it can be baffling to those who want to get started.
How do you do it?
How do you find the time?
What type is right for you?
So Headspace had this video made that breaks it all down, simply and clearly.
The animation is pleasing and disarming, comforting the viewer and drawing them in.
The script is light and friendly, creating a welcoming and safe feeling with the audience.
By the end of it you’re more than willing to give it a try.
This is no accident, but the result of a well-crafted, cleverly thought-out animated video with the audience in mind.
Another great example of what a good animated video can really do!
Few people know that many credit cards, like American Express, offer many services beyond just giving you a way to shop.
But why would you call up a specialist to help you plan a trip, when you can just buy tickets online and do it yourself?
Well, this video answers that by showing you what’s really possible.
The quirky and fun animation is full of energy and just the right touch of humor, introducing us to a heroic character that’s here to help customers make the most out of their travel plans, in ways we probably never imagined.
It’s all enough to make you pack your bags and hit the road!
We keep mentioning that storytelling is the magic secret ingredient in animated videos for business.
For this video, John Lewis could have simply listed out all the various things they sell, or seasonal deals.
Or a plain old “Seasons’ Greetings to you and yours” kind of greeting.
But instead, they opted for an animated video that took it to the next level, by incorporating a beautiful short story.
Reminiscent of Disney classics, we’re introduced to a forest setting with beautifully animated animals celebrating Christmas– with the exception of a lonely bear, who doesn’t take part and sleeps in his cave instead.
Heartwarming and full of good cheer, this gorgeous animated story will stay in our minds and hearts long after we watch it.
Harassment in the workplace.
For some, it seems like a new thing that’s suddenly being talked about everywhere.
But it’s always been a problem, it just wasn’t openly discussed until seemingly recently.
So to clear up the confusion, and answer questions some are too embarrassed to ask, the Time’s Up campaign got the multi-talented Donald Glover to share his voice to the cause of anti-harassment.
It explains things clearly and simply, while using just the right amount of humor to break the tension without getting too silly.
All things considered, it’s a fantastic little package of valuable information that gets through to its audience and stays in their minds.
We just love the animation in this simple video for AmEx Gold.
Gorgeous graphics, bold flat colors, and slick transitions that make us jealous.
Doesn’t it all just make you want to clock in some vacation time right away?
This is such a deliciously lovely video that we can’t stop playing it!
Everyone loves Oreos, so we figured they couldn’t possibly up the game any further.
But we were wrong.
This animation is full of wonder and joy.
Just like an Oreo, this video is a sandwich of silly and happy stories paired with wholesome music by Owl City.
It’s somehow playful and childlike without being cheesy or cringe worthy.
And we’ll bet you a bag of Oreo cookies that you can’t watch this without getting a smile on your face by the end.
When your product is out-of-this-world tasty, why settle for less with your animated video?
That was Clover’s approach here, and they went all out.
The animation is absolutely stunning and raises the bar for everyone else, telling a fantastic tale of how Clover is created.
It’s impossible not to get swept up in the wonder and imagination of it all. It’s otherworldly delicious.
It probably wouldn’t surprise you to learn that creating video games is complicated, even with the right team.
But even assembling the right team is more like navigating a labyrinth blindfolded.
And that’s what Skirmish set out to solve.
Their animated video is quite fittingly stylish and laced with gamer references, but they explain what they do so well that you can understand it even if Pong confuses you.
After all, what’s the use of having the perfect solution to certain problems when people don’t understand how your solution works?
That’s why animation is so perfect for explaining stuff like this, easily, without losing too much detail or oversimplifying it too much.
Raising awareness about a serious social issue or problem is trickier than most people think.
On one hand, you could talk about it in dire terms to raise the urgency and get attention, but it could sound too pessimistic and hopeless to the viewer to be inspired to take action.
On the other hand, portraying the issue through rose-tinted glasses can fail to communicate the seriousness and extent of the issue at hand, and make it seem to the viewer that it’s not worth worrying about, or that the problem is easy to solve.
That’s why we love this video by BUCK for Don’t Fail Idaho.
It strikes just the right balance of talking about serious problems with education, while communicating enough hope and showing the viewer that this is a problem that can definitely be fixed if we all work together to solve it.
The animation, too, is gorgeous and perfectly apt for the theme, with beautiful smooth transitions and iconic images of Idaho’s culture to really speak the viewers’ language.
We grade this an A+!
How do you advertise a device that cleans the snot out of babies’ dripping noses?
Using plenty of humor, of course!
What we love about this video by NoseFrida is how easily it tackles a fairly gross subject, in enough detail to explain it well, but not too much detail either.
It’s lighthearted and simple, but is strongly relatable to any parent caring for a baby.
Keeping things light and funny, while communicating the important bits well, and answering any questions the viewer may have before they even ask it.
This animated video might look light and simple, but a lot of thought went into it. When done right, animation can work wonders for any brand!
So Honda has been hard at work making diesel engines better.
Now stop for a moment.
Ask yourself: how exactly would you talk about this in a way that’s interesting, or even entertaining?
Especially to the layperson who’s not particularly interested in that big noisy thing that makes trucks run and belches out smelly fumes?
The answer, of course, is that you use the power of animated storytelling.
A compelling hook to grab the viewer’s attention (“Can ‘hate’ be good?”), drawing you into a cleverly-written script.
Pair that with really beautiful, imaginative visuals, and it all comes together, like the parts of a well-oiled machine.
Or rather, a well-oiled machine that doesn’t pollute as much or make as much noise.
A little imagination goes a long way!
Similarly, how would you sell a tiny microcar for the city that can only seat two people?
Simple. It’s not a bug, it’s a feature!
This adorable animated ad for the Smart ForTwo appeals to the romantic in each of us, pointing out that it’s not so much about what this car can do, but about who you can do it with.
It’s won our hearts, for sure.
Getting a celebrity guest star can really boost your YouTube channel.
But it works equally well with adverts, too– even if the guest star is an animated crab from a children’s cartoon show!
Envestnet created this entertaining and hilarious video that’s a mix of serious live-action and the goofy silliness of SpongeBob SquarePants.
And the results are amazing.
Creating a good animated video for your business is all about embracing your creative side.
When done just right, your audience will be spellbound and your message communicated powerfully and memorably.
And speaking of anthropomorphized animals, here’s a delightful PSA from the UK’s Department of Transport.
This beautifully animated video reminds everyone to be more mindful and considerate of others when you share a journey on public transportation.
The animal characters really punch up the messaging in an engaging and memorable way that only animation can!
Fitness fans reading this will know that there’s more to getting into shape than merely hitting the gym.
Your body needs specific chemicals and proteins, like whey.
This is an easy enough sell.
But to really add life to the message, the adorable animated characters really take it to the next level.
This video by MyProtein makes it more memorable and impactful.
We keep saying that animation for business is one of those “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” kind of things.
It’s more than just a script paired with visuals.
For TripAdvisor’s Abu Dhabi Showcase video, a clever script is combined with slick infographics to great effect.
What’s especially notable about this video is that while it looks fantastic, this kind of animation is actually pretty cost-effective too.
That’s great news for startups and small businesses on a budget, because you can impact your audience and not your wallet!
AI is still in the news, and everyone’s still talking about it ad nauseum.
So why not use it?
But not in the lazy way you’re probably thinking.
Heinz created this simple and funny video, pointing out that if you simply type “ketchup” into an AI image generator, it will create Heinz.
Because even AI knows that Heinz is quintessentially ketchup.
It’s simple, clever, amusing and it works well.
Just goes to show what a little humor can do for your video!
The Dunning-Kruger Effect posits that people who know less, tend to be overconfident.
The flip side of this theory is that intelligent people aren’t afraid to ask questions when they don’t know something.
So why should it be any different in business, asks this video?
While it’s important to project confidence in the business world, there’s nothing wrong in asking for advice.
After all, consultants are totally a thing, why not use them?
This wholesome and beautifully animated video for the Crow Wood Hotel chain encourages us to not worry about not knowing everything under the sun and reminds us that learning is an ongoing and lifelong process.
When your beer is out-of-this-world, your marketing and advertising must match it too.
So Beaverton Brewery crafted this playful and fun animated video, with a mix of live action and lovely colorful animation that matches their style and culture perfectly.
We’ll drink to that!
Stomach problems like IBS and diarrhea are not only painful and unpleasant, they’re embarrassing to boot.
That’s why it’s important to have a light touch when discussing it.
This short ad for Imodium hits the pain points and speaks the viewer’s language without getting needlessly detailed and awkward.
The animation really adds that levity and color to enhance the script.
Even the color scheme is calm and soothing, painting a picture of relief and freedom.
It’s all quite subtle, but trust us, it’s no accident.
This makes the difference between a mediocre animated video and an excellent one.
The cool thing about animation is that the sky’s the limit.
But on the other hand, you don’t have to break the bank coming up with crazy concepts, either.
Sometimes, a simple and straightforward approach works just as well.
For example, this video for Recruitee.
It works because it’s so simple, not in spite of it.
This is what we mean when we tell clients that animation is so diverse, that there’s always some form or style that will meet your budget and your needs, whatever they are.
Created by Meg Pinsonneault, this claymation commercial won third place in Moveon.org's 2008 contest, “Obama in 30 Seconds,” out of 1,100 entries– and it’s easy to see why.
The claymation is simple, attention-getting, and effective at enhancing the short script.
You can often say a lot with very little, when it’s done just right.
Nobody really wants to think about getting into an accident, and then going through the hassle of settling claims and going to court.
So Camps Solicitors used the power of animation to brighten things up and explain what they do in a more lighthearted and relaxed way, with quirky characters and animated text.
The video leaves you with the sense that they’re good guys who have your back when things go wrong, and that they have a solid reputation for delivering on their promises and making their clients happy.
All that from a simple 40 second animation!
Here’s a delightfully over-the-top animated video for Vamousse, a treatment for head lice.
The video creatively depicts the battleground for a healthy scalp as a Wild West-style town overrun with anthropomorphized lice, until the heroic Mom blows away the pests in a shoot-out-style scene.
It’s imaginative and clever, framing a familiar and common scenario in a new and interesting way that gets the viewers’ attention and delivers a memorable message.
It’s amazing what a little imagination and creative animation can do for a brand!
Of course, this is just a quick overview of animated commercials and animation for marketing in general.
Animation is a diverse and fascinating world that’s constantly evolving (check out our other blog posts).
So what about you?
Are you still on the fence about using animation as part of your marketing and advertising strategy?
Wondering where to start, overwhelmed with options and ideas?
Not sure what to say?
Don’t fret! Everyone has a story-- and that includes every brand, big or small.
It’s time for you to tell your story, and we’re here to help.
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