The Best Uses for Animated and Live-Action Video Content

Video content is an essential tool that businesses invest in to increase brand recall and drive customer engagement. One trend in video marketing that emerged from COVID-19 is animated video content.  During the height of the pandemic, animation was an accessible content format since it limited the need for filming on a set with people.  At a time where social distancing and health and safety were top concerns for many organizations, animated T.V. commercials or social ads were popping up everywhere for all types of brands.  While animations can be a well-suited style for introductory videos or explainer videos, it is not a content format that is suitable for every marketing need.  So what are the best ways to use animated and live-action videos to achieve your business goals?  

Animation videos work best when used for introductory or explainer videos that are meant to highlight the details of a product or service, helping to make a challenging concept easier to understand.  Organizations can also use animated content within educational or training videos. This format helps support team members’ learning through visually engaging content, without leaving them feeling overwhelmed.

Live-action videos also have a distinct purpose and can be best utilized through client testimonials or product tutorial videos. This approach can provide a more natural way to showcase a customer’s experience or highlight the benefit of a product. Through live-action content, audiences may establish more trust in a brand since the video can help demonstrate a product’s or service’s value.

And there’s a hybrid option. Animation can be more than the “cartoon characters” that might immediately come to mind. Another form of animation is high-end motion graphics, which can supplement live-action footage with copy on-screen. A major shift for brands both big and small has been to reuse existing footage and supplement it with motion graphics that describe current offerings, safety protocols, and more.

When deciding on the right approach to content development, a partner video production company like 20/20 Visual Media can help steer your team in the right direction. Since our team is well-versed in creating animated and live-action content, we can share examples of different campaign styles which can help influence your project.  Ultimately, it’s useful for every organization that’s investing in video content to consider which content style can best achieve each type of business goal.