Have you ever watched an animated ad that was so clever and entertaining that you didn’t mind the interruption? How do I create a perfect animated ad?
To accomplish that level of commitment, an art form is required. But relax; you can manage this. We’re going to demonstrate how to make an animated advertising video that will captivate viewers as soon as they see it.
You need a massive idea first. Come up with a concept that’s memorable and makes people smile. Next, create eye-catching visuals with smooth animation that bring your concept to life. Add a catchy soundtrack or jingle to get stuck in people’s heads. Keep the message simple but impactful. If you nail all these elements, you’ll have an animated ad so perfect that folks will be searching it out just to watch it again.
Ready to learn how to make an animated advertisement? Let’s dive in and turn your creative vision into an ad that wows. By the end, you’ll be an animation expert, crafting animated ads that are the highlight of everyone’s commercial break. The secret sauce is using animation to tap into emotions and build a connection between your brand and the audience. Do that, and your ad will be unskippable.
Define Your Audience and Goals for the Animated Ad
To create an animated ad that connects with your audience, you first need to define who they are and what you want to achieve.
Ask yourself some questions:
- To whom are you attempting to speak? Age, place, interests, and so forth The better way is to be more precise.
- How do you want them to respond to your advertisement? Visit your website? Buy a product? Sign up for a newsletter.
- How can animation help you achieve that goal? Animated ads grab attention and are highly engaging, so take advantage of that!
Once you’ve outlined your audience and objectives, do some research on their viewing habits and interests. See what kinds of videos and content they currently interact with. This will help ensure your ad captivates them.
Think about your brand and what makes you unique. How do you make animated ads and convey that through animation? Come up with a few concepts for your ad that bring your brand personality to life in a fun, memorable way.
Keep your message simple and clear. Focus on one key idea or call to action you want to get across. Trying to communicate too much in a short ad can confuse your viewers and dilute your message.
With some self-reflection and planning, you’ll have the perfect animated ad concept in no time. One that speaks directly to your audience and achieves the results you’re looking for. Now get animating!
Choose a Product Video Type
The product ads available to choose from that are already matched with the sales funnel stage are listed below.
Ad for a Product
Since the viewers aren’t ready to watch a video for a lengthy time at this point of awareness, a brief promotional film is a decent option. The primary objective of a promotional video maker is to help viewers form an initial opinion of the brand and its goods and services.
Demonstration of a Product
A product demo is appropriate for the stages of the sales funnel, from awareness to consideration.
Explainer Ads
An explainer film may be utilized at the contemplation stage of the sales funnel because it enables users to thoroughly understand the underlying concept of the topic and determine whether it can effectively address their problem.
A Product Tutorial
To aid clients in learning about the optimal uses for the product, this kind of educational product advertisement corresponds to the post-purchase sales funnel stage.
Videos from Kickstarter
Given that it incorporates elements from every type mentioned above, a Kickstarter video is a particular type. In addition, it wants to attract investments, so this video’s mission is to quickly lead potential investors from the awareness phase to the buying phase.
An Animation Style that is Suitable for Your Brand
There are many options, and the style you select should match your brand’s personality.
2D or 3D?
2D animation, whether hand-drawn or vector, has a fun, whimsical feel. It’s perfect for brands targeting families or kids. 3D animation, created with CGI, looks more polished and high-tech, making it ideal for companies with a sleek, modern image.
Cartoon or Realistic?
Cartoony animation, with exaggerated features and movements, appeals to all ages with a sense of whimsy and humor. Realistic animation mimics real life with authentic details, textures, and physics. It has a serious, corporate tone.
Simple or Complex?
Minimal, simple animation with clean lines and shapes looks elegant and refined. Complex animation with lots of details, characters, and action scenes is high-energy and grabs attention, but it may seem cluttered.
Fast or Slow?
Quick, fast-paced animation feels energetic, dynamic, and fun. Slow, smooth animation seems peaceful, elegant, and luxurious.
In the end, choose an animation style that aligns with your brand personality and resonates with your target audience. Keep testing to find the perfect style to make your ad memorable! With the right style, your animated ad will be a huge success.
Write an Impactful Script and Storyboard.
A captivating script and storyboard are essential to crafting an animated ad that resonates with viewers. Think about the narrative arc and key message you want to convey.
Focus on Emotion.
Rather than listing product features, focus on how animation is used in advertising and how the product or service makes people feel. Appeal to emotions like joy, excitement, or empowerment. For example, show how your productivity app simplifies busy lives or how your travel service inspires a sense of adventure.
Keep your script concise while highlighting the emotional benefits. Have a clear beginning, middle, and end to your story. Start by establishing your character and setting the scene. Build up the storyline to show how your product or service improves their life or mood. End on an uplifting note that leaves a lasting impression.
Bring Your Story to Life.
A storyboard translates your script into a visual sequence of scenes. Sketch a series of simple drawings, like a comic strip, to map out shot types (close-ups, wide angles), transitions, and the overall flow and pacing. Think about visual details that reinforce the mood and message. Warm, bright colors and an upbeat soundtrack can make a joyful and optimistic impression, for example.
Review and revise your storyboard to ensure a smooth progression from one scene to the next. Double-check that there are no gaps in the story and that it elicits the intended emotion. With a compelling script and well-designed storyboard, you’ll have crafted the perfect animated ad!
Find the Right Voice, Actor, and Music
Finding the perfect voice actor and music to match your animated ad’s overall tone and theme is key. The voiceover and audio are just as important as the visuals in creating an impactful ad.
Voice Talent
Hire a professional voice actor who can bring your script and characters to life. Look for voices that match your intended audience and evoke the right emotion. For a lighthearted ad targeting families, a warm, friendly voice is ideal. For a more serious finance ad, a confident, trustworthy voice may be better.
Consider using voices that represent diversity and inclusion. Representation matters, so try to find voice actors of different backgrounds, ages, and accents if possible. Once you’ve found some candidates, listen to their demo reels to determine who is the best fit. Provide detailed direction to help the voice actor capture the exact tone you want.
Music and Sound Effects
Music and sound effects help set the mood and keep viewers engaged. Upbeat, whimsical music works well for fun, animated ads. For a heartfelt ad, an emotional piano or string composition tugs at the heartstrings. Sound effects like wooshes, dings, and clicks also bring life to animations.
Keep the music consistent in tone and volume throughout the ad. Fade music in and out smoothly at the beginning and end. Sound effects should complement the visuals and not be distracting. Test different options to find the right combination of voice, music, and sounds for your unique animated ad. With the perfect blend of audio elements, your ad will resonate with audiences and make a lasting impression.
Optimize Your Animated Ad for Each Platform.
Optimize your animated ad for the major social platforms to maximize views and engagement.
Facebook ads allow motion, so fully animate your ad. Use vibrant colors that pop to catch attention. Keep your message under 10 seconds since Facebook videos autoplay without sound. Include minimal text on the screen, using captions instead of voiceover.
Instagram is ideal for short, fun animated ads. Use a square video editing format and keep your message under 6 seconds. Vibrant colors and quirky motion graphics resonate well here. Avoid too much text on the screen. Instagram videos also autoplay without sound, so convey your message visually.
Twitter allows 6-second animated video ads. Grab attention fast with eye-catching motion and color since these videos also autoplay without sound. A single, short message or catchphrase works well. Minimal animation and text are most effective.
YouTube
Longer animated ads, up to 60 seconds, can run on YouTube. You have more time.
to tell a story, so include a voiceover and consider an intro, build-up, and conclusion. Engaging characters and storylines perform best. Place text strategically on the screen to highlight key points, but don’t overload the viewer.
Optimizing your animated ad for each major platform will help you get the most from your marketing efforts. Keeping the unique requirements and best practices of each channel in mind as you create your ads will lead to higher viewership and better results.
Are Animated Ads Effective?
Are animated ads effective? In short, yes—when done well. Animation in advertising offers some compelling benefits:
Catching Attention
Movement catches our eye. Animated ads instantly grab attention in a sea of static content. Animation is a terrific way to stand out from the noise since our brains are wired to detect movement.
Storytelling
You can illustrate a tale with animation rather than just telling it. You can create memorable characters and storylines that resonate with viewers. A good story sticks with us and makes a lasting impression.
Emotion
Animation elicits emotion. When you animate a character or storyline, it allows viewers to connect on an emotional level. Emotional connections are powerful for brand recall and loyalty.
Flexibility
Animation offers flexibility to demonstrate a product, show different angles or uses, zoom in on details, or highlight specific features. This flexibility provides an experience that static images alone cannot provide.
Of course, animation isn’t for every ad or business. If not executed properly, it can seem gimmicky or distracting. But when implemented thoughtfully with a strategic goal in mind, animation can be an extremely effective tool for capturing attention, telling stories, evoking emotion, and showcasing your brand in new ways. The key is balancing animation with your core message and ensuring it enhances the viewer experience rather than detracts from it. If you get that right, animated ads can be very impactful.
What Makes Animation Effective?
Animation is an effective tool for capturing attention and conveying complex ideas in a simple, engaging way. Here are a few reasons why animation works:
Memorable
Animated ads stick in our memories. We tend to recall visuals far more easily than words alone. Animated characters, fun sequences of events, and whimsical illustrations create mental images that stay with us.
Eye-Catching
Movement attracts our gaze. Animated effects like transitions, transformations, and bouncing objects draw our focus in a way that static images can’t. This ability to instantly grab attention is invaluable for ads.
Educational
Animation simplifies complex topics through visual metaphor and story. It can transform dull or difficult ideas into an entertaining learning experience. Viewers absorb information more readily when it’s presented in an animated, step-by-step fashion.
Attention-Grabbing
Animation intrigues us and evokes emotion. Cute characters, dramatic changes, and playful interactions ignite our interest and spark feelings of amusement or joy. Keeping viewers engaged is the key to a successful ad, and animation is a surefire way to do it.
Timeless
While live-action ads can quickly become dated, animation has a sense of timelessness. Stylized graphics and characters tend to age well and stand the test of time. Animated ads from decades past still delight us today. Choosing an animated style that isn’t too trendy helps ensure your ad’s longevity and long-term impact.
In summary, animation’s ability to educate, entertain, and inspire ensures that your message will be seen, remembered, and shared. Leveraging these strengths is key to crafting the perfect animated ad.
How Do You Make a Good Video Ad?
To create an engaging animated video ad, focus on these key elements:
Keep It Short.
Aim for 15 to 30 seconds. That’s long enough to make your point but short enough to keep viewers interested. Anything longer risks losing the audience’s attention.
Have a Clear Message.
Decide on one message or call-to-action you want to convey. What do you want viewers to know or do after watching your ad? Focus your animation and script on bringing that message across as memorably as possible.
Use Eye-Catching Visuals.
Vibrant colors, fun characters, and amusing animations will make your ad visually compelling. Even simple animations with exaggerated movements tend to capture attention. Keep the scenes changing regularly to maintain interest.
Have a Catchy Sound
Pair your visuals with upbeat music and sound effects. An attention-grabbing jingle or catchphrase people will remember is ideal. The audio should match the tone and pace of your visuals.
End With a Strong CTA.
End by clearly telling viewers what you want them to do, whether it’s visiting your website, using a promo code, or calling now. Give them a reason to take action, like a special offer or limited-time deal.
Keep experimenting and improving your skills. Study other successful video ads for inspiration and ideas. With practice, you’ll be creating irresistible animated ads in no time! The more you do it, the better your ads will get at captivating audiences and driving real results.
Conclusion
While the process of creating animated video ads may seem complicated, if you take it step by step, or hire professional video editing services, you’ll have an eye-catching video ad in no time. Start with a strong concept, develop memorable characters and visuals, add the perfect soundtrack, keep it short, and test it out. With some practice, you’ll be making animated ads that capture attention and drive real results.
