How can Government Agencies use Animated Educational Videos?

Never was there a greater need for effective communication than during this pandemic.

With a lack of reliable information, panic among communities, and uncertainties around "what to do", governments and global organizations had a critical task at hand: Communicate clearly, urgently, and with more impact.

There are many state governments around the world who create similar animated videos to reach out to the masses and convey emergency messages on the coronavirus.

Like this video of Australia Government Department of Health:

Or this animated video from PIB India:

Or this video by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that explains what to expect after getting the COVID-19 vaccine:

This isn’t the first time though government organizations have used animated videos to communicate with the people and convey a message. There are umteen examples. And there are plenty of reasons why this is the case.

Why Animated Videos Work For Government Administration?

• Animated videos grab attention almost instantly. And this is important today when people have so much content to consume online. Their social media feeds are crowded with infinite pieces of content; publishing content that hooks attention is key. So, using animation plays in favor of governments to attract the attention of their audience.
  
  
• Animated videos can help explain an idea or message much more clearly and effectively. In fact, if done by a good 2D or 3D animation company, the video can take basic information and tell it in an interactive story, bringing high entertainment value to the audience. Continuing with our earlier example, it’s much easier to explain how coronavirus spreads or what this virus really is through animation than someone sitting in front of the camera and explaining through static theories.
  
  
• Animated videos are much more engaging and interesting. This is very helpful, particularly when explaining certain issues or conveying a message which could be perceived as boring. For instance, many social issues don’t get the needed attention. The consumption value of content on these issues is relatively less as opposed to something entertaining. Animation helps address this by making that topic engaging and interesting through great visuals and story-telling.
  
  
• Animated videos are more memorable. People retain more information from these videos. There’s a reason why more and more schools are relying on animation to teach kids; it enables the kids to remember ideas and theories for longer. When making any public service announcements or unveiling new schemes, the governments would ideally want the audience to remember it for long. This makes animation a great choice.
  
  
• Animated videos can be made much more quickly. This benefit has been the highlight in this pandemic, appealing to the governments the most. Instead of hiring actors, creating a set and recording certain messages (at a time when gathering was banned), governments chose animation, which is very quick to make. In any emergency or urgent situation, animated videos are a much-preferred video style.
  
  
• Animated videos are an affordable option. Indeed, with more than enough funds, government organizations have very little to worry about budgeting. But the overall cost of creating a video is certainly one of the considerations for decision-makers at these organizations. If they can get something great, more effective at a relatively low price, then why not?
  
  
• Animated videos can build an emotional connection. With beautiful visuals and engaging stories, these videos can not only attract and engage the audience but also encapsulate their emotions, which help drive the desired action (aka higher conversion), be it enrolling in some scheme or sharing that piece of information with others. Emotional connection is a big factor that’s driving the popularity of animation now.
  
  
• Animated videos can break language and cultural barriers. Even without any voiceover or overlay texts, animation can still convey a message much more effectively. So, for countries that are diverse, this can be a big pro. Governments can target the entire country inclusively through interactive animated videos.

These are some of the reasons why animation stands out for governments around the world when it comes to communicating with the general public.

Use Cases: Fit-For-All Needs

We started this post by mentioning how animation was used by government organizations in their COVID-19 crisis communication.

But there are plenty of other use cases of governments leveraging the power of animation to connect with the public and engage them in a conversation.

For instance, the US government created this video that explains how one can check their voter registration:

In this animated video, the Australian government announces that it’s extending the financial support to its citizens:

Global Affairs Canada talks about Cannabis and International Travel with this animation:

The French government explains the repairability index through this animated video:

• To introduce new schemes or regulations
• To announce change in policies
• To communicate during health crisis
• To educate the public
• To make public service announcements
• To engage communities on social issues
• To inform the public about things like laws

These are just a few ways government organizations can employ animated videos to bolster their communication with their countrymen and countrywomen.

How to Leverage Animated Videos the Right Way?

Yes, there are countless benefits of animated videos that make them a favorite for governments worldwide.

But just because they have benefits doesn’t necessarily mean one will enjoy those benefits.

The basics must be met and a few things need to be done right to avail those benefits. The government organizations must attend to these aspects to ensure their animated videos are effective and able to drive the desired outcome.

Here are the five most important tips to optimally leverage animated videos:

Choose the right animation type

There are many different types of animation styles, and they have their own features or USPs. 2D and 3D animation, typography animation, flipbook animation, stop motion animation, motion graphics animation, whiteboard animation, cel animation, pinscreen animation, and more.

You cannot simply pick “any” and go with it.

The type of animation you should choose depends on several factors, including what’s your message and who you’re targeting.

So, do take your time to figure which animation style would be more fitting for your specific need.

The right animation style can amplify your message and make the campaign more successful.

Get the duration correct

People don’t have too much time (or patience). But the message you have cannot precisely be summed up in a 30-second animated video.

On the other hand, people wouldn’t mind consuming longer videos if it’s appealing and on an exciting subject.

There are many dynamics that influence the ideal duration of an animated video. There’s no one answer as to how long your animated video should be. It varies based on numerous factors.

So, this is something you will have to figure out yourself after considering all the influencing factors, including your message type and who you’re targeting.

In the end, though, you want to be very careful about the duration and hit the right mark with it. Too short can deliver an incomplete message and too long can bore the audience.

Keep the message at the core

The most fundamental part of an animated video is its message. What is it saying? What is its purpose? What does it aim to achieve?

With the flexibility, animation provides with all the colors, graphics, storylines, and more, it’s easy to lose sight of the core message and get carried away with things that are secondary.

So, the animated videos coming from government organizations must be very targeted and to the point. They should be extremely clear with their message. When people watch this video, all the attention should be on the main message and its context rather than on secondary things like characters, transitions, graphics, and more.

Don’t go overboard

With animated videos, the sky is truly the limit.

You can play around with countless colors, graphics, lighting, stories, and other elements.

To make the video great, it’s common to go overboard with unnecessary elements that eventually bloat the video and act as a distraction.

So, make sure to not go overboard with the style and appearance of animation.

Remember, simplicity has its own appeal. Some messages can be effectively delivered with typography animation; you don’t need 3D animation for it.

Work with a good 2D, 3D animation company

This is very basic and perhaps the most important tip here.

Nothing will work and your investment will go in vain if you haven’t teamed up with the right video animation company.

So, take your time to find a good animation production company to partner with.

Consider their experience and expertise; what type of animation style do they primarily focus on. Do they offer 3D product animation services or focus on creating informational videos?

Find out more about their team; who are there in their team and do they have the right professionals in-house to create a quality animated video?

Also, consider the kind of clients they have worked with in the past. Check out examples of their work. How do the videos look?

The right 2D, 3D animation company, or any type of animation production company, by your side will make the biggest difference. How successful your animated videos will be in connecting with the public and delivering the message will depend on how good the animation company is.

Final Words

The traditional ways of connecting with the public are no more effective. Governments around the world need to come up with a better communication strategy to reach out to the public and deliver them a message with a higher impact.

Animation fits her perfectly well.

In fact, government organizations are fast embracing animation. They are now relying more on animated videos. This became very evident during this pandemic when governments worldwide used animation for PSAs and to educate the public about the coronavirus.

Owing to all the benefits, it’s imminent that animation will become a key part of the government's communication with the public in the coming years.