What's the difference between cartoons and animation?
The terms “cartoon” and “animation” are sometimes used interchangeably. However, cartoons can be animation but not all animation is a cartoon. Cartoons refer to the program or film that is produced with animation techniques, while animation refers to the process of drawing, coloring, and sending the images into motion.
Most people are familiar with cartoons, like the Saturday morning programs on channels like the “Big Three” of CBS, ABC, and NBC. Animated feature films are also considered cartoons, but have much longer runtimes. Animation is used to create these programs, but can also be found in commercials, video games, and all over the internet as well!
What software should I use for creating a short 2D animation?
There are so many different software packages that you can use to build 2D animation, but the traditional process was done manually. Creating 2D animation doesn’t require anything more than pencil, paper, and a stop-motion camera, but this proves to be incredibly time consuming.
Programs like Synfig Studio, Adobe Animate, Paper, Opentoonz, and Pencil 2D can build working animation, but most require subscription fees and not every platform is created equal. Finding a software package that works well for you may take some trial and error, but we highly recommend hiring a professional to ensure quality animation that correctly represent your brand.
Why is animation important in marketing?
Animation is relevant to every industry and in every market, helping brands to engage with a wider audience that stagnant imagery or even production videos can. In the simplest terms, animation is often used to help explain a concept. Creating an animated visual aid to accompany a voiceover or text can dramatically increase memory retention and streamline complex ideas, making your message easier to digest and recall. Most animation is tailor made just for you, fitting snuggly within your brand guidelines while standing out among the competition.
You can use animation for almost anything, from motion graphic logos to explanation videos and more, which is why it’s become an essential part of marketing. Take advantage of the perks of animation, and watch your brand come to life!
How is animation used in marketing?
There are many ways to use animation in your marketing strategy, including email marketing, social media campaigns, television ads, website design, and so much more. Almost anywhere you can place a still image, you can replace it with animation! This powerful tool doesn’t just help you grab your audience’s attention – it helps you keep it, too.
What are the 5 types of animation?
There are five basic categories that all animation fits into, depending on how the animation was produced. These categories include and includes 3D or CGI, traditional-style animation, 2D vector-based animation, stop-motion, and motion graphics.
3D animation, more commonly known as CGI or Computer-Generated Imagery, is probably the most used and familiar type of animation today. Live-action movies and video games use this technique to produce stunning visual imagery to create out-of-this world scenery, creatures, and more, digitally!
Traditional-style animation, also known as cel animation, is defined by the fact that it is drawn frame-by-frame and done entirely by hand. In the conventional sense, this kind of animation was drawn on paper one frame at a time. Now, this type of animation can be drawn digitally, by hand, or a combination of both. The most important factor in classifying animation as such is that it is produced frame-by-frame.
Vector-based animation uses traditional and CGI techniques to produce two-dimensional animation. These types of animation are put into motion by computer; however, they include some traditional processes of character and scene development.
Stop-Motion animation involved manipulating real-world objects and photographing them in sequence to produce motion. This kind of animation can employ clay models, puppets, cut-outs, or even real people and places. The subjects are placed, photographed, moved, and photographed again to create the illusion of movement when played in succession. This is one of the oldest forms of animation and dates to 1898’s Humpty Dumpty Circus created by Vitagraph Studios using toys.
Motion graphics are the last category of animation and are most often used in advertising. This type of animation is used in TV commercials, advertisements, title sequences in film, and on the internet. They combine graphic design and animation into one seamless production by adding motion to text or vectored images. Incorporating motion graphics into your advertising plan helps to showcase your ideas or products in a more sophisticated way. This also helps to steer your brand into a more professional and polished lane, readily capturing the attention of your target audience.
How can animation help your business?
Besides just being pretty entertainment, animation also has the brains to back it up! Adding animation to your marketing strategy can make your brand more memorable, and a lasting impression can make the difference between a sale or scrolling on. Because animation captures attention, it can also significantly boost your bounce and conversion rates on your website. If potential customers stop to watch a short video on your website, inadvertently or not, they’re significantly more likely to convert to a sale.
Animation can also make complex ideas or products easier to understand by using visuals as opposed to static, flat text. A quick animation can show, rather than tell, the story you need to put out there.
Why do some brands rely so heavily on animation?
Brands rely on animation because it works! Academic studies have proven that viewers are more likely to remember an animated ad as opposed to a static image, and advertisers have jumped on the opportunity to catch your attention. Animation has also been proven to more effectively and efficiently explain complex ideas, cutting viewing times and raising retention rates.
Other than the science behind it all, animation is simply more cost-effective than live-action. While production time may be longer, a single animator can work for much less than a full production staff and actors.
What is a marketing animation?
Marketing animation is better known as brand animation, which is content that is tailored to fit within your brand guidelines. Companies use brand animation to stand out, leaving a positive impression on potential consumers by incorporating motion. Most often, marketing animation takes the form of a moving logo to create a more visually appealing and memorable experience.
What is better, 2D or 3D animation?
2D and 3D animation are very different, but there isn’t really one that’s better than the other. Both can achieve the same goals; however, 3D animation tends to be a slightly more expensive option due to the technical process of creating it. Depending on what you want to accomplish depends on what kind of animation you’ll want to use. 3D is generally used for more complex, realistic animation but can be prohibitive due to cost. 2D animation tends to be more time consuming, as the frames are usually hand-drawn and pieced together during production. Regardless of which type of animation you choose, any kind of moving art can make your brand stand out!
