With today’s movements toward online business, remote working, and the expanding global marketplace, it’s easy to feel disconnected in a world that should be more connected than ever.
But due to the rise of the animation industry, there are now more ways than ever to connect with people. These connections can be unexpected, creative, and incredibly effective, whether online or in person.
Here, we take a look at five of the key ways that animation can be used to achieve a genuine connection with your audience, whether they are family, friends, students, prospects and clients, or anyone else. The only limit is your imagination!
1. Public speaking
Now there are numerous opportunities to speak in public, both online and in person. Many companies have regular company conferences or video calls, for example, as well as university conferences, guest lectures, or invitations to speak at an event on a particular topic.
But where does animation come in? Surely speaking in public means appearing and speaking as yourself? Not necessarily! Now not only can animation be used to add a variety of highly engaging visuals to your talk, such as animated effects for titles, slides, and even video tutorials, you can even create an animated character to speak for you!
Animated characters can be synced to your speech or facial expressions to give a talk while you’re doing it. These can be especially popular with younger members of the audience or for lighthearted events, but can be used for whatever occasion you deem appropriate.
Why not give a speech or question-and-answer session like your company’s mascot, for example, or allow a cartoon version of yourself to speak and be more lively, interactive, and accessible to your audience?
The possibilities are endless and animation provides a great way to connect with your audience.
2. Advertising
Eye-catching animations are being used more and more in advertising. This is especially true online, where the market is thriving and (sometimes) oversaturated. Animation can allow you to differentiate yourself from the competition with eye-catching or interactive designs.
Animation also allows you to advertise in various ways. This could be through a custom character or free digital puppet, for example, or it could be through an effective logo or animated branding piece.
Animation can also be used for more elaborate and powerful forms of advertising, like an entire animated series, for example. In fact, several international soccer teams now use their own animated series to generate a following of increasingly younger age groups.
You can use animated short videos, full series, logos, characters, and more to advertise your business. The animation is also highly customizable; It can be tailored to a variety of styles and color combinations to suit your brand or business, whether that means being vibrant and fun, bright and professional, or anything in between.
3. Identity
Perhaps a more unexpected way in which animation allows people to connect is through a playful expression of their identity. This could be in the form of art and animation itself, or it could be by using a 3D virtual character or avatar, for example.
Animated avatars are visual, entertaining, and can be very personal. They’re a great way to protect your identity online, to make you feel safe and creative, but they’re also a lot of fun, whether at home or in the workplace.
Many people also use animated avatars or animations as part of their online identity to connect with fans and sponsors, such as for live broadcasts, YouTube videos, Twitch, and more.
4. Education
Animation is known for its ability to connect with younger viewers and students. It is vibrant, colorful and attractive – a perfect companion, therefore, for teachers and tutors trying to create something memorable and educational.
But animation also continues to attract us as we grow up. It is still an incredibly useful tool in adult education or university settings, helping to simplify complex problems, for example, or creating a memorable way of absorbing a lot of information.
Animated tutorials and videos are an especially useful way to add some fun and interactivity to education, whatever your age.
5. Business
Animation has also become a powerful tool in business, capturing the attention of potential customers and customers, especially online, and creating a genuine connection.
Animations can be short, memorable, and highly effective, making them the perfect complement to social media campaigns or e-commerce websites.
Regardless of how you choose to use animation, harness its power to participate and connect and you will reap the rewards.