Dismissed as faddish and strictly for kids in some quarters in the past, animation has long been established in the mainstream of art, entertainment, and advertising. In a trend that has gained momentum in recent years animation has been used to convey a message in a fun way, with Compare the Market’s ‘Meerkat’ having entered the national vocabulary since its launch in 2009.
Defining the ways in which animation can be used to further a brand message is key to understanding the marketing power of the medium.
Why animation?
Leoni Dizon, writing for design and business insiders inspirationfeed.com, lists her top six reasons why animation can be an effective marketing tool. Central to her thinking is the saving of both time and money that animated campaigns afford in comparison to living action. Costs on the crew, actors, and shooting overheads are greatly reduced working with a small animation team and voiceover artists. Dizon also points out that animation allows for the creation of a character from scratch – one who can live anywhere and do anything. As well as improving practicalities, the creative freedom this affords is priceless for intuitive marketers with big ideas.
Animation in action
Marketing magazine The Drum analyzed a new animated advertising campaign from the UK-based property portal Rightmove. The new TV ad is part of the company’s ‘Find Your Happy’ campaign and uses groups of animals living together in a tree as a visual metaphor for its customers finding their dream homes on Rightmove. By presenting this idea in animated form, Rightmove has sidestepped the huge time and production costs it would have taken to produce such a segment in live action while linking the brand to a cast of colorful, memorable characters.
Animation in the UK
The UK is gaining a reputation for stellar design prowess with a growing number of outstanding agencies establishing themselves across the country. Various sectors, including live-action filmmaking, graphic design and animation are reaping the benefits of our countrywide push for technical and creative excellence.
