These days, video content is playing a key role in many business's content marketing and communications. It is helping them to connect with customers and colleagues in new and innovative ways, driving change and results.
3D animation is playing an increasing role in this content. It is not just a powerful way to communicate your brand story, it is also an engaging format that really captivates audiences.
3D animation can be used in a full spectrum of content - to communicate ideas, products and processes. Departments such as marketing, communications, training and recruitment are all using it to achieve their goals.
To give you a good idea of what is capable with 3D, we've collected a few of the 3D animation design which stood out to us!
Product videos
Product videos are the ideal way to show off your new product to the world. CGI can enhance these videos, giving new views of your product, allowing you to put your product in different environments, or just bringing a prototype to life. Working with a 3D animation business allows for more flexibility with the product, as they don't have to worry about the restrictions which can happen with live action.
A great example of a product video is this one from Cognex.
Cognex creates a range of advanced machine vision & industrial barcode reader systems for use of production lines. From the previous sentence, it might be difficult to understand what exactly something like this is, but this product video gives a great rundown and makes the tech look really cool.
Showing the internal workings of these pieces of equipment is definitely enhanced by the use of 3D - the different parts flow really nicely and you get a good look at how this machinery works.
The whole video has a very epic and exciting feel to it, despite displaying a niche set of products. This 3D animation video makes the audience just as excited about the products as the brand are.
Brand films
Brand films are the ideal way to shout about your company. They can be used to show all aspects of your brand, or just to focus on more detailed areas. Whatever you want to say, brand videos have you covered.
But what if you have a more digital workspace, or your products are all online? 3D animation is a wonderful way to bring your brand to life in a visual way. It can be used to bring your digital products into the real world or to visualise your virtual office. Working with a 3D animation business, you can create something which truly embodies your brand.
The video below, from software and tech giants Microsoft, is a unique example of how non-physical products, in this case, Microsoft Office, can be brought to life using CGI.
Although this announcement is simple - the logos are changing - the use of CGI turns it into an impressive video. The use of music and the flow of the video really engages the viewer and encourages them to feel passionate about the design edits to the well-known icons.
Explainers
Explainers - the ultimate way to communicate how your product, service or brand works. They are excellent for, well, explaining complex processes, products or any aspect of your brand which is better learnt visually.
Utilising animation in an explainer can be very effective in simplifying down these complex ideas, as well as giving you the opportunity to demonstrate your ideas in a whole new way.
This explainer for Europa is a great example of how 3D animation design can be used to enhance an explainer and to demonstrate scenarios which are not so easy to film in real life.
Europa made logistics exciting by communicating the brand story in a more interesting way. Europa's brand colours are used throughout the video, connecting the content effectively with their brand.
Adverts
Adverts are EVERYWHERE, and standing out from the crowd can be difficult. Having a clear creative direction which connects with your brand is key. 3D animation can help you follow a new kind of creative vision for your brand or product, and can help you make an impact. A good 3D animation business will know how to create something with sets your brand apart from the rest.
Adverts for live TV shows are a difficult one, but ITV nailed it with this adorable advert.
They opted for a full CGI approach since the show is broadcast live, so they wouldn't have any footage from the upcoming show.
Creating an ad with footage from old series could have been confusing, so they went with a completely different approach. The cute characters and funny situation really make this advert memorable!
Social Media
The internet is one of the most popular places for advertising. Social media is growing and evolving every day, and so are the best advertising strategies.
There are often debates around the best kind of social media adverts, but what it comes down to is creating something which will connect with your target demographic. It could be your customers prefer short snappy content when they browse the net, or that they are actively seeking out video content when they are online.
3D animation design can be very effective for social media content. As most social media is focused around live-action content, 3D can help you stand out among the regular posts.
Facebook used 3D for a Christmas campaign. They used a similar format for each ad, with subtle changes to differentiate them from one another. These short videos included facts about mobile usage and also wanted to reinforce how Facebook brings people together.
Summary
3D animation has a huge range of uses in business - too many to include in one article. It's definitely worth considering if your company hasn't tried it, you may well be surprised by the results. If you're as excited about animation as we are here at Venture, please get in touch! We'd love to help you make some amazing 3D animated videos for your business.
