Imagine the compact videos that take complex ideas or new products and make them not just easy to understand but downright fun or fascinating. These videos are like mini movies, using cool animations, real-life shots, or a mix of both. They’re not your typical videos – they’re like magic spells that turn complicated stuff into something fun and engaging. That’s what the essence of explainer videos is, where every frame tells a story and makes understanding things easy.
Explainer Videos: Brief Overview and Business Benefits
What are Explainer Videos?
Explainer videos are concise, visually engaging pieces of content that simplify complex ideas or introduce products and services, typically using animation, live action, or a blend of both.
Take a look at this incredible explainer video from Club Vistara. It brilliantly highlights the exclusive benefits and a multitude of privileges that come with being a Club Vistara member.
Why Do Businesses Need Explainer Videos?
Explainer videos are indispensable tools for startups and businesses, providing a concise and impactful means to convey messages, engage audiences, and drive growth in a competitive digital landscape. Some of the key aspects for which businesses need explainer videos are as follows:
- Simplify complex information into easily digestible content.
- Visual appeal captures audience attention, increasing retention.
- Showcase brand personality, contributing to lasting impressions.
- Encourage website visitors to become customers by addressing pain points and nudging them toward a purchase decision.
- Boost search engine rankings and social media sharing.
- Effectively communicate product features and benefits.
- Overcome language barriers, reaching a diverse, global audience through visual storytelling.
- Tailored for easy consumption on mobile devices.
- Communicate unique selling points for startups or new product launches.
Different Explainer Video Styles
Before delving into the specifics of explainer video styles, it’s crucial to have a deep understanding of your brand and your target audience.
Consider the personality of your brand, your unique selling points, and the emotions you want to evoke. Simultaneously, understand your audience’s preferences, behaviours, and the platforms they engage with the most.
The various styles in which you can craft your explainer videos are as follows:
2D Animation
2D animation is a classic style that involves creating movement in a two-dimensional space. It typically uses flat images and simple characters, making it suitable for conveying information in a friendly and approachable manner. The animation video can range from basic motion to more complex, dynamic sequences.
Suitable for: Brands with a friendly and approachable image, especially those targeting a broad audience. It works well for conveying simple and straightforward messages.
Check out this straightforward 2D explainer video from SBI, illustrating various initiatives such as waste management, plantation drives, the commitment to a plastic-free office environment, and the digitization of money. The video showcases SBI’s efforts towards creating a more sustainable world.
3D Animation
3D animation adds depth and realism to visuals by creating objects in a three-dimensional space. This style is ideal for showcasing intricate details, such as product features or architectural designs. The animation allows for a more immersive and visually captivating experience.
Suitable for: Tech-oriented brands, manufacturing companies, or any industry where showcasing intricate details is crucial.
Explore this impactful 3D explainer video from Cargoz, a Dubai-based warehousing and logistics startup. The video skilfully employs a standout visual narrative to highlight the challenges of securing proper storage facilities. It effectively communicates how Cargoz addresses these pain points, narrating the distinctive features of this service-oriented company.
Whiteboard Animation
Whiteboard animation often features a hand sketching out illustrations or diagrams in a step-by-step fashion. This style is effective for explaining processes, concepts, or storytelling in a clear and engaging manner.
Suitable for: Brands that want to emphasize a step-by-step process or convey information in a clear and simple manner. It’s often used for educational content.
Watch this fantastic explainer video that uses whiteboard animation to explain the crucial topic of safeguarding your child’s data through UNICEF’s Data Manifesto. The manifesto envisions a more thoughtful approach to handling children’s data. The video makes the complex topic easy to understand by illustrating how data is collected at every phase of your child’s life, its implications on the child’s life and why it must be protected.
Live Action
Live-action video involves filming real people, places, and objects. This style provides a human touch to the brand, showcasing authenticity and relatability. Live action is versatile and can be used for a wide range of purposes, from testimonial videos to product demonstrations.
Suitable for: Service-oriented businesses, companies wanting to build a personal connection with their audience, or those looking to showcase real people using their products.
Watch this emotionally charged live-action video from Sabhyata, the apparel brand, challenging stereotypes, and biases against working women. It skilfully crafts a compelling narrative that deeply resonates with its target audience—working women who navigate the multifaceted roles of being mothers, wives, daughters, and more.
Motion Graphics
Motion graphics involve the use of animated elements such as text, icons, and shapes to convey information. This style is characterized by dynamic and visually appealing transitions. Motion graphics are effective for presenting data, statistics, or complex information in a visually engaging way.
Suitable for: Brands that want a modern and stylish look. It’s effective for conveying complex information in an engaging way, making it suitable for tech or design-focused companies.
Take a look at this motion graphics explainer video from Collato, a software company. The video showcases the features of its workplace search tool, demonstrating how it simplifies the process for users to find and access the information they need.
Stop Motion
Stop motion is a unique style that involves capturing individual frames of physical objects. These frames are then played in sequence. This creates the illusion of movement. Stop motion adds a charming, handmade feel to videos and is often used to display tangible products or create visually distinctive content.
Suitable for: Brands with tangible products or those wanting to convey a creative and handmade feel. It’s often used for artistic or visually distinctive content.
The entire Pringles commercial is crafted using stop-motion animation techniques. It is highlighting various flavour and size variations of this well-loved potato chips brand.
Screencast
Screencast is a style of explainer video that involves recording the screen activity of a computer or device, often accompanied by voiceover narration. It allows viewers to see exactly what is happening on the screen, making it ideal for demonstrating software, applications, or online processes.
Suitable for: Software companies, online platforms, or any brand offering digital products or services. It’s an excellent choice for tutorials, demos, and online training.
Check out this straightforward screencast video from GlobalMeet, the webcasting solutions company.
Choosing the Right Style for Your Brand
The way an explainer video looks is super important because it shapes how people see a brand – like, how professional, creative, and real it seems to them. It’s a big deal to make a brand stand out and be remembered.
Distinctive styles evoke distinct emotions and cater to specific audience preferences. The factors to keep in mind before selecting the style most suitable for your brand are listed below:
Brand Personality
Consider your brand’s tone and personality. If your brand is fun and quirky, animation styles like 2D or stop motion might be suitable. For a more professional tone, live-action or 3D animation may be preferred.
Take a look at this 3D animation explainer video by Apple, illustrating the privacy feature known as App Tracking Transparency. This feature empowers you to manage and control which apps have permission to track your activity across various companies’ apps and websites.
Complexity
Evaluate the complexity of your product or service. If it’s intricate, consider styles like 3D animation or motion graphics that can effectively illustrate details. For simpler concepts, 2D animation or whiteboard animation might be more suitable.
Check out this 3D animated explainer video from Cyient, the engineering solutions and technology company. Serving as an “About Us” video, it vividly illustrates the diverse engineering solutions, manufacturing capabilities, data analytics, and network and operations services offered by the company across various industrial sectors.
Audience
Your target audience plays a vital role in choosing the right style. If you are targeting a younger audience, trendy and visually appealing styles like motion graphics or stop motion may be effective. If you are trying to make a human connection, a live-in style might be better.
Look at this live-action makeup tutorial video by Maybelline, the premium cosmetic brand. It guides viewers on creating a gorgeous festive look using Maybelline’s products.
Budget and Resources
Consider your budget and available resources. Some styles, like live-action or 3D animation, can be more resource-intensive and costly. Choose a style that aligns with your video production budget without compromising quality.
Choosing the right explainer video style is strategic. It needs a deep understanding of your brand, audience, and message. Choose a style that aligns with your brand personality. Consider the complexity of your offering. Understand your audience. Consider the budget. Create a video that informs, captivates, and resonates with your target audience. The perfect style effectively communicates your message and leaves a lasting impression.
