How can you use animated videos to promote your brand?
We all scroll past dull ads, block out generic banners, and skip videos that feel like carbon copies. At Impress Video, with years of animation under our belt, we’ve learned: animated videos done right can stop the scroll, tell your story, and make people care.
Animated videos aren’t just flashy visuals. They’re strategic tools. They allow you to simplify complex ideas, add personality to your brand, and reach people in places where live-action can’t always go. Plus, recent data backs this up: brands using animation often see better recall, higher engagement, and stronger emotional connection.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through what animated videos can do, what styles are working right now, how to plan and produce them smartly, and some insider tips (because yes, we have them) to make sure your animated video campaign actually moves the needle. Let’s dive in.
Types of animated videos + why you’d pick each
There are lots of different types of animated videos, so you’ll have to choose carefully which one to use. Depending on the type of video, your marketing videos, or your company itself, you may choose among the following animated video types:
1. 2D Animation
In a 2-dimensional realm, animators construct the characters and backgrounds for these videos. They employ music to capture people’s interest and generate emotion, as well as a storyboarded narrative to communicate the message. They help to capture attention, increase brand recognition, and engage with audiences by transforming complicated ideas into simple animations.
2025 twist: Hand-drawn or frame-by-frame 2D is making a comeback. People want character, quirks, visuals that feel crafted, not just templated.
In this example, we were contacted by “Monkey vs Owl”, a letting company, to produce a 2D animation video to promote their business. As we can see, there is a storyboard followed all along the video, as well as music and animations to keep the video engaging for viewers.
2. 3D Animation
3D Animated videos bring your brand to life with eye-catching, realistic visuals. They are the most suitable video type to present 3D objects or to give more credibility to the video. They help exhibit items or ideas in a dynamic way, leaving a lasting impact on your audience.
A good example of when to use 3D animation is in a medical procedure. Here, animations come in handy helping people visualise the procedures without having to watch disgusting images.
Trend: Hyper-realistic 3D is increasing, blurring the line between real and rendered. And hybrid styles (mixing 2D & 3D) are gaining popularity.
In this project, we produced an animated video for Trent Vehicle Charging to show and promote its product: electric vehicle charging points. We decided to use 3D animation because it helps customers quickly understand the product and its impact on their lives.
3. Animated Explainer Videos
Animated Explainer Videos consist of short animations (60-90 seconds) that simplify difficult concepts, products, or services. They keep visitors interested, lower bounce rates, and increase conversions by making information simple to understand.
In this case, we produced a bespoke animation for what Pugh & Sanders required. They work closely with national railway agencies, so we blended 3D animation with a voiceover to explain P&S’s offering.
4. Animated Product Video
These videos highlight a product’s characteristics and benefits, allowing potential purchasers to envision its real-world application. They simplify difficult features, increase reliability, and speed up the sales process.
In this example, we collaborated with RMS to craft an animated product video, highlighting their new financial insights solution: metiRi. In the video, they picture what challenges faces and overcomes their product, showcasing a brief overview of metiRi’s features.
5. Brand Story Videos
Brand story videos comprise animations that effectively communicate a company’s goal, vision, and values. They assist to build trust, create remarkable experiences, and keep customers coming back for more.
In this example, Vans is able to celebrate 50 years of milestones thorugh an appealing, dynamic animated video. By adjusting the tone and aesthetics of its commercial, it is able to engage its audience while producing a quality video which enhances its brand image.
6. Short-Form Social Media Videos
These types of videos consist of short, snappy animated entertainment created for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. They capture attention quickly, are extremely shareable, and are ideal for product lanuches and advertising teasers.
A great example of this type of videos is the Megan Rapinoe commercial with Nike Football. In this advert, an animation of Megan Rapinoe appears as an ambassador of social values through football. In addition, Nike is able to insert its logo in the video, attaching its brand image to the values showcased in the video.
Creating Animated Videos to Promote a Brand
There are many ways to create effective animated videos to promote your brand. However, our highly skilled video team has created a list of the main steps to be followed based on its experience.
- Define Your Goals First. What do you want the animation to achieve? More awareness? Product education? More traffic? Conversion? Whatever it is, your goals must guide style, tone, pacing.
- Know Your Audience. It’s not enough to “animate something pretty”. You must understand who will watch it. What they care about. What visuals tone they respond to. What platforms they use (Instagram, LinkedIn, your website, etc.).
- Storyboard & Script Before Animation. A clear storyboard saves time and clarifies the flow. A script that matches visuals ensures nothing feels disjointed. Always test ideas, show rough versions to internal teams or sample viewers.
- Voiceover & Sound Design Are Half the Story. You can have killer visuals, but a bad voiceover or off-audio drags everything down. Choose voice artists that suit your brand’s tone. Pick music and sound effects with care. These choices change emotion, pace, and perception.
- Make it Repurposable. Ask for source files. Plan animations so you can cut them for social media, make GIFs, edit versions for different platforms (shorter, square, vertical). That way you maximise value.
- Measure & Iterate. Animation doesn’t end at release. Track performance (views, retention, conversions). Use feedback and data to improve. Maybe shorten intro, tweak visuals, test different styles.
Bonus Tips From Practice
Clients often underestimate how long animation takes: even simple 2D explainer videos include rounds of feedback, revisions, voice-over adjustments. Build buffer time.
- Authentic storytelling wins: animations that feel like they come from a person or brand with values tend to resonate more than ones that feel generic.
- Don’t over-produce just for looks: clarity and message are king. Sometimes a simpler style with strong messaging beats flashy visuals.
- Budget smartly: understand where to allocate spend (e.g. voiceover, motion, render, sound). Quality doesn’t have to mean expensive everywhere.
Contact Impress Video now
Using animated videos to promote your brand is a smart move in today’s landscape. They’re flexible, memorable, and when done right, can deliver strong ROI. From choosing the right style, knowing current trends, to planning well and measuring results, each piece matters.
At Impress Video, we believe every brand has a story worth animating. If you want help turning your ideas into animation that stands out, speaks clearly, and connects deeply, we’re ready when you are here!
