Animation does a lot of heavy lifting in marketing—often without audiences realising they're watching it. From the motion graphics in a product launch to the explainer on a landing page, it's become one of the most versatile formats for communicating ideas that are hard to show with a camera.
This guide covers the key benefits of animation for marketers, the different styles available, and how to work with a studio to get the best results from your next project.
Animation creates the illusion of movement by displaying images or graphics in rapid sequence. You've seen it everywhere—from the explainer video on a SaaS homepage to the motion graphics in your LinkedIn feed. It's one of those formats that often works so well you don't consciously register it as "animation."
The format spans hand-drawn frames, computer-generated graphics, and everything in between. For marketers, that range means flexibility: you can match the style to your brand, your audience, and your message.
Animation enhances engagement, simplifies complex concepts, and offers creative freedom that live-action can't match. It improves information retention, delivers cost-effective production, and allows for storytelling that works across platforms and markets without reshoots.
What makes animation particularly useful is its ability to portray ideas in ways that feel universal. Animated characters represent diverse experiences without the limitations of casting. Abstract concepts become tangible when visualised through motion. And because you're not bound by physical reality, you can show things a camera simply can't capture.
Here's what makes animation a strategic choice for marketing teams.
Animation excels at breaking down abstract or technical concepts into visuals people actually understand. If you're marketing software, financial products, or scientific innovations, animation lets you show processes that a camera can't capture.
You can animate data flowing through a system, visualise how a medication works in the body, or demonstrate cloud computing—all without props, locations, or elaborate setups.
Animated characters and stories evoke feelings in ways that feel safe and universal. Viewers engage without the barriers that sometimes come with live-action, where casting choices or settings might not resonate with every audience segment.
This emotional accessibility is why animation works well for sensitive topics, from healthcare messaging to financial education.
Movement naturally draws the eye. In crowded social feeds where you're competing for attention, animation holds viewers longer than static images or text-heavy content.
The combination of motion, colour, and sound creates a multi-sensory experience that static formats can't replicate.
When your audience can see a concept while hearing it explained, the information sticks. The visual-audio combination helps viewers remember key points—useful for brand messaging, product benefits, and calls to action.
Animation's shareability and thumb-stopping quality make it ideal for platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. It's optimised for autoplay environments where you have seconds to capture attention.
Short animated clips also compress well, load quickly, and look crisp on mobile screens—all factors that affect performance in algorithm-driven feeds.
Animation transcends language barriers because visuals carry meaning independently. Voiceovers or text overlays can be swapped for different markets without reshooting, making it efficient for global campaigns.
If you're operating across multiple regions with varying language requirements, animation offers a practical solution.
There are no physical constraints with animation. You can visualise impossible scenarios, create branded worlds, or bring abstract ideas to life without worrying about gravity, weather, or location permits.
This freedom lets you tell stories that would be prohibitively expensive or simply impossible to film.
Colours, characters, and visual style can be controlled precisely in animation. Every frame reinforces your brand identity, from typography to motion style, creating a cohesive look across all your content.
Animated assets can be revised, extended, or adapted for new campaigns without the cost of a new production. If you want to update a statistic, change a product name, or create a shorter cut for social, it's straightforward with animation.
Animation avoids location, talent, and equipment costs. Your budget goes further, especially for ongoing content where you'd otherwise be scheduling multiple shoots throughout the year.
While complex animation requires upfront investment, the long-term value often exceeds what you'd spend on equivalent live-action production.
Different styles suit different goals. Understanding what each offers helps you choose the right approach for your project.
This flat, illustrative style is ideal for explainers, brand storytelling, and social content. It's accessible, relatively quick to produce, and works well for conveying personality and warmth.
Three-dimensional animation adds depth and realism, making it well-suited for product visualisation, immersive experiences, and high-impact campaigns where you want to showcase physical objects or environments.
Text and graphic-driven animation works best for data, statistics, and corporate messaging. It's clean, professional, and particularly effective when you're communicating numbers or processes.
Hand-drawn or frame-by-frame animation offers a distinctive, artisanal quality. It's best for heritage brands or storytelling that benefits from a handcrafted feel—though it typically requires more time and budget.
| Type | Best for | Look and feel |
|---|---|---|
| 2D animation | Explainers, social content | Flat, illustrative |
| 3D animation | Product demos, immersive campaigns | Realistic, dimensional |
| Motion graphics | Data, corporate comms | Clean, typographic |
| Traditional animation | Brand storytelling, nostalgia | Handcrafted, artistic |
Animation works across sectors. Here's where it consistently delivers strong results.
Software, platforms, and digital products often can't be filmed in a meaningful way. Animation lets you show user journeys, feature benefits, and technical processes clearly.
Medical processes, treatments, and patient education become approachable through animation. It's particularly useful for explaining what happens inside the body or how a treatment works.
Abstract financial concepts become tangible through visualisation. Animation builds trust through clarity, helping audiences understand products they might otherwise find intimidating.
Animation showcases products, promotions, and brand personality in scroll-stopping formats. It's especially effective for product launches and seasonal campaigns.
Emotive stories and cause explanations come to life without the cost of documentary-style production. Animation can represent sensitive situations with care while maintaining emotional impact.
A balanced view helps you make informed decisions about when animation is—and isn't—the right choice.
This isn't an either/or decision. Many campaigns combine both formats effectively.
| Factor | Animation | Live-action |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Abstract concepts, branded worlds | Authenticity, testimonials, events |
| Budget flexibility | No location or talent costs | Varies with scale |
| Revisions | Easy to update assets | Requires reshoots |
| Emotional tone | Universal, stylised | Personal, immediate |
| Production timeline | Longer for complex work | Faster for simple shoots |
Mixed-format pieces—combining motion graphics with filmed footage—often offer the best of both approaches, particularly for explainers and product launches.
If you're approaching your first animation project, here's how to set yourself up for a smooth process.
Know what you want the animation to achieve before reaching out. Is it awareness, conversion, education, or something else? Clear goals shape every creative decision that follows.
Include your audience, key messages, tone, and any brand guidelines. The more detail you provide upfront, the smoother the production process.
Look for relevant experience in style, sector, and format. The work you see gives you a sense of whether the studio's approach aligns with your vision.
Build in time for revisions at script, storyboard, and animation stages. Collaboration at each phase improves the final outcome.
Confirm formats, aspect ratios, and any versioning for different platforms or markets before production begins.
Looking for a partner who handles animation end-to-end? Book a call to discuss your project with our team.
Timelines vary based on complexity. Simple motion graphics can be delivered in weeks, while detailed 2D or 3D animation may take several months from brief to final delivery. Your studio can provide a realistic timeline once they understand the scope.
A strong brief covers your target audience, key messages, preferred style references, brand guidelines, and where the animation will be used. Including examples of animation you like helps the creative team understand your vision.
Yes—mixed-format videos blend filmed footage with motion graphics or animated overlays. This approach is common for explainers, product launches, and corporate content where you want both authenticity and visual clarity.
Track the same metrics as other video: view-through rates, engagement, shares, and conversions. Qualitative feedback on clarity and brand recall also helps you understand whether the animation achieved its communication goals.