How 2D and 3D Animated Videos Are Used In Business And Marketing
Last Updated: 2 years ago by Astral Studios Staff
A guide for Marketers and Sales Professionals. Learn how and why 2D and 3D animated videos can used for communication in the digital domain.
WHY use 2D and 3D animated videos
2D and 3D animated videos help companies and professionals to communicate and explain their business model processes. They can educate and promote products and services in an entertaining yet clear and professional manner. This applies to Product Promotion, Branding, Training and Concept Visualization.
Many Marketing and sales executives often find it difficult to communicate features and benefits of their particular product, service. This especially applies when needing to communicate complex ideas and models, such as technological systems, processes and theories.
3D modelling and design can help to demonstrate your products without the clutter that exists in the real-life environment. Isolating your product in a computer–simulated world makes it easy for your viewer to visualise the product or service. The visual appeal of a 3D simulation helps customers to make a purchasing decision convincingly.
Images in animated sequences, with reference to abstract or realistic ideas, ignites mental imagery and activates the senses. This motivates audiences through the recreation of visual perception as well as effectively communicating a message.
What is 3D animation?
The term “Animation” has its roots in traditional cell animation of cartoon characters.
Unlike animation legend Mickey Mouse, 3D animation is today’s most popular marketing and advertising creation. People most often view 3D animation in traditional video form on conventional LED/LCD flat screens.
The same 3D animated scene can give an immersive experience. You can use Virtual Reality (VR) or Stereoscopic 3D technology for this.
These technologies use either VR headsets or 3D glasses. These provide the illusion of depth, which gives you the perception that you are part of the scene.
Advantages of animation in videos
You can use a 3D animated video to simplify your concept. Video has the capability to get the point across in seconds.
1. Nothing is too big or too small
3D Animation provides an exciting means to visually present and to demonstrate products in a 3-Dimensional space. This will represent your product and its interaction perceptually accurate as it can be in the real world.
Animation is a powerful tool which you can use to explain processes that you cannot see with the human eye.
Examples might be:
- visualization of microcosmic cell activity in human physiology
- chemical reactions of particles
- the internal mechanical workings of a machine
- the macrocosm workings of the universe and other large bodies.
Demonstrate and present products and processes, including areas in
human health and anatomical cross sections.
2. When Live Filming is Prohibited or Too Costly
Creating animated realistic CG (computer generated) models and re-enacting scenes can be a huge benefit. This applies especially when you need to depict industrial operations that may be too dangerous for live filming. The same applies to the re-creation of conceptual scenarios in security restricted environments such Airfields and Military establishments.
Specialized personnel needed for a shoot in an industrial operation often have limited availability. In addition, filming these operations will inevitably cause disruption, which may be extremely costly.
Live video recording also involves expenses for travel to the particular location and for the use of specialized gear.
Shown in the images below, Astral Studios created 3D animated scenes in a mining operation. The purpose was to show how mining trucks, in low light conditions, can cause accidents without proper procedures and equipment. We created the scene in a Computer Generated (CG) 3D environment because it was not possible to film on location.
3. Accurate and clear instructional sequences for mechanical assembly, product demonstration and training
The animation below clearly indicates how different parts work together. The mechanical parts are shown in a cross section as well as construction projects and other engineering processes. This can greatly assist in sales and training applications.
We used 3D Animation to show the assembly of mechanical parts
4. Animation can give you creative freedom through Storytelling
Since the beginning of time, people have used the art of storytelling to pass knowledge in an entertaining and memorable way. Stories can include human themes with some form of conflict set in relatable everyday scenario.
You can use hypothetical scenarios to engage your audience by creating characters in familiar circumstances. This provides a fun element to your presentation and keeps the viewer more engaged. There are different types of characters that can created to suit the style and message. These can include realistic human models or fictional toon type characters.
With a little imagination and a carefully structured storyline we can build intrigue as we seek to find a solution. We create emotional triggers that will help with memory retention of your product or service.
In explainer videos, we usually start by presenting a problem that Peter or John may be experiencing in their business. We design it so that our target audience can easily identify with our characters. They can relate to the anger, frustration and high levels of stress. Soon enough, as we build our story towards a happy ending, we present the solution through the products and services that we are promoting. Happiness and relief then follow, which humanizes your brand with an identifiable personality.
Creating abstract characters can also help to depict certain scenarios which viewers might perceive negatively when using live action people. This can help communicate circumstances and ideas without offending individuals or groups of people. It’s particularly important when referencing sensitive issues in politics, gender, disability and racial subject matter.
5. Creating a WOW factor
CREATIVITY can make your product or service more memorable and boost Brand consciousness. Many marketing executives use the technique called A.I.D.A. to entice prospects to buy their product and services. This stands for “attention, interest, desire, action”. Creating an animated story will immediately spark attention. This is a critical component to ensure further engagement with your content and message.
Elevate brand image through the recreation of your physical product and bring it to life by demonstrating its features to consumers.
Animating your product realistically in 3D allows for numerous possibilities to take the product into action without any aesthetic constraints and physical limitations. By controlling lighting, texturing and shading techniques, in software applications, our designers can make your product look more attractive creating a special look and visual appeal. Your audience will perceive the final product as seen on the screen as something more than the real object. This will have a profound effect on your brands personality.
Usually physical products do not photograph well as certain packaging and plastic materials can show undesirable finishes due to the reflections created during the photo shoot. Also, we can simulate the operation of the product without human intervention as hands activating or pressing buttons can be distracting to the viewer.
Using 3D animated video can boost your marketing campaign. Evidently, 3D animation can create high engagement for viewers resulting in more time spent on your website thereby increasing relevance and resulting in a higher page ranking.
Video animation can also dramatically increase your conversion rate. According to ComScore, 64% of online shoppers are more likely to make a purchase after watching a video.
6. Clear and Simple
When we explain a concept in simplified form there is a cognitive process where the brain immediately makes an association to the real-world application. This helps with comprehension of complex process or a product idea.
The human brain’s cognitive architecture has limitations in the number of elements that can be simultaneously processed. Dynamic visualizations in motion graphic presentations can be very helpful to illustrate a concept.
Utilizing motion graphics has proven to be a highly effective way of teaching, and studies show memory retention increases when it is compared to more traditional teaching methods.
The brain is wired to process visual information and has the capacity for absorbing pictorial information rather than text-based data.
This type of motion iconography really helps with the consumption and comprehension of technical and concept base subject matter.
There are several reasons that this method and style of presenting is highly regarded in the world of presentations:
Firstly, you can create lists and sequential steps that are easily remembered.
Icons can also be used side by side to indicate right from wrong and good from bad.
Flowcharts helps the brain to analytically see how a particular process can resolve problem in question step by step.
Complex looking photos or pictures can be represented with a much-simplified icon-based representation so that the brain is not overworked through a multitude of visual stimuli as found in a photograph. This is useful also in describing map locations and demographics as well as chronological flows as in historical timelines. Data visualization is another important consideration for simplified indicators of percentages and comparisons as found in Charts and Graphs.
The most important attribute though is motion. Motion through scaling, rotating, highlighting as well as through colour changes, is perhaps the best and shortest way to communicate otherwise complex ideas and scenarios.
Animation can help people to make sense of complex data, and designers are learning to use motion design principles for mobile apps.
All of this makes infographics and motion graphics an ideal style of design for explaining concepts in a clear and simplified manner.
Industry sectors that can benefit from 3D Animation
1. Architectural visualization for Property development
3D Architectural visualization is a huge benefit to property developers, greatly assisting marketing and sales teams to present construction projects, as well as other civil engineering projects to prospective buyers. Clients will be more readily convinced to invest in something they can see and visualise.
Architectural Walkthroughs are a combination between cinematic camera movement techniques and the convergence of art and science to bring about an impressive representation of proposed projects. These techniques aim to make any project look impressive allowing for investors and stakeholders to appreciate the architecture within a life like working environment.
Astral Studios offers the complete transformation of your architectural designs into a 3D walkthrough. Modelling from photos and AutoCAD files and choosing from a number of different textures to create a natural feel like glass, wood, granite, metal and paving. Additional surrounding details like streets, cars, shops, and people to give the finished rendering a realistic representation.
Interiors are modelled to specifications, utilising mood boards and lighting to create a comfortable and warm yet functional look to the environment of the completed project. For example, a reception area can be decorated with wood furnishings, marble flooring, modern lounge furniture, plants and paintings.
A carefully thought-out walkthrough path is created allowing the viewer to visualize and experience the structure as a fully functional civil construction.
When marketing a property development client can get a real feel for the finished project before the ground has even been broken.
Advantages of 3D Walkthroughs
Allows for variety of looks: You want to offer your clients several options. The style and clarity of our 3D Walkthroughs allow you to showcase several different concepts and options to the client in a way that captures their imagination and makes it easier for them to visualise the space in their own preferred style and decorative appeal.
Functionality. Using 3D walkthroughs will give clients the opportunity to take an intimate look at the project and taking a visual tour of both the exterior and the interior.
The walkthrough is based entirely on the dimensions and specifications as per architectural drawings, and proposed materials. Movement through the 3-dimensional space allows the viewer to get a true sense of size and proximity of room dimensions and how the living and working environment is ergonomically arranged.
2. Medical and Healthcare
In an extremely competitive market place the Health and Wellness industry more than ever will require to sufficiently explain the efficacy, process and how the particular technology can be applied to the human body in a variety of bodily functions.
Customers are now demanding more information and are keen to understand their conditions and how the prescribed medication or treatment is going to work. To that end Medical 3D animation can really set peoples’ minds at rest, having the comfort of visualizing the process at a molecular level as well as human anatomy and physiology.
By using 3D animation software technology such as “Dynamics” we can create 3D simulations so that we can visually show how objects can move and react by through the known rules of physics to simulate real-world forces.
With 3D animation using dynamics to visualize blood flow, particle and cell interaction, body movement, how the skeleton is articulated as well as identifying pain points in the body, and generally visualizing medical science in action.
Educating business, researchers and the marketplace
A perceptual understanding such as blood flow in the heart, or the change in high or low pressure blood pressure can effectively help to communicate and to illustrate complex mechanisms that is happening in the body. The viewer is then able to understand how the remedy is going to take effect thereby reassuring and helping with compliance or acquisition of the particular therapy, drug efficacy and medical intervention.
Our Executive Producer Irene Constantinides has been a medical consultant with a Master’s degree, and also has a complete understanding of video production and its correlation to business. This gives Astral Studios the edge in creating the right type of health animated video presentation for your marketing or health education requirements
Identifying pain and critical anatomical sections of the body areas not seen with the naked eye
An Explanation of how the eye interprets imagery
2D vs 3D Animation Styles
Image on the left is 2D whilst the image on the right is 3D
Although these two images look almost identical, the 3D image on the right shows a lot more depth and has a more realistic appearance showing shadow and light as it would appear in a real-life environment. When it comes to movement though this is when the two styles of animation really show the ultimate difference as 2D objects cannot spin around as they are constrained in flat X and Y coordinates.
Types of Animation
The difference between 2D and 3D animated videos is basically the style and look when choosing to create your next animated video.
2D Animation
3D Animation
When it comes to content creation, 3D animation is definitely the king of all video styles.
Different types of 3D animation include:
Conclusion
Animated video is a fun and engaging medium that has the power to create a high impact on your target audience. It can help you communicate more clearly and concisely, capture the attention of your audience, keep them engaged, and make a lasting impression.
Business today is highly competitive, and branding has become crucial part of this competition. Using 2D and 3D animated videos can bring your brand to life. It’s a great way to make it stand out and be memorable to your clients.
Through our valuable consultation we can help you understand the purpose of your message as well as the target audience requirements thereby selecting the right type of animated video for your campaign or presentation.
Animated video is a fun and engaging medium and has the power to create a high impact on your target audience. We can help you communicate more clearly and concisely, capture the attention of your audience, keep them engaged, and make a lasting impression.
Related Tags: 2D Animation Studios
