10 Awesome Animated Explainer Videos of 2021 & 2022
When it comes to simplifying complex concepts, animated explainer videos are the ideal choice for any brand. If you want to demonstrate your products or introduce new features, explainer videos are a great solution. However, they are not easy to animate – so you might want to look up an animation or motion graphics studio in Singapore to help you get started!
Why you should animate your explainer videos
Explainer videos are all about educating audiences. What better way to educate than through entertainment? Animating your explainer videos makes them visually engaging and way better at retaining attention! It also injects fun and playfulness into your videos, letting your viewers enjoy the process of learning.
A good marketing campaign should be infused with creativity. To see this in action, just take a look at the roaring success of the Disney+ marketing campaign. Animation is the perfect way to unleash your brand’s creativity!
Since there are so many different types of animation, there’s plenty of room for you to experiment with the best visual medium to get your message across. Most advertisements use motion graphics to compress dense data into sleek, moving visuals. It’s also perfect for showing off new product features! If you have the budget, hiring a motion graphics studio like CraveFX will definitely spice up your explainer videos the same way hiring an experienced corporate video production company would skyrocket a corporate video’s overall quality.
You can also start by learning from these 10 awesome explainer videos! In 2021 and 2022, we saw plenty of creative and engaging videos that were a blast to watch – so let’s get started!
1. Chipotle: A future begins
Easily a favourite, Chipotle’s touching tribute to farmers used a stop-motion style to tell a story about sustainable farming. The lush backdrop was hand-sculpted to create a realistic farmland filled with trees and greenery. The immersive landscape immediately made you fantasise about a cosy life on a farm. It also evoked nostalgia in viewers who have lived on a farm, tugging harder at their heartstrings. The soft vocals from Kacey Musgraves were also a great tearjerker. It was clearly made with love, and it’s impossible to stop watching.
2. Apple: App tracking transparency
Precise and powerful, Apple is the king of minimalism. Following their signature style, this explainer video used minimalistic visuals and an informative, pleasing voiceover to deliver a strong message. Perfectly synced with the narration, the visual cues were easy for viewers to follow along. This fluid animation style also made for an incredibly satisfying watch. Always sleek and fresh, Apple’s videos are a testament to their genius marketing.
3. Grab: GrabpayMY rewards
Reward systems are nothing new, so how do you present this information in a fresh, attention-grabbing way? Grab’s answer was anime! This flashy and popular style of animation is bound to be eye-catching, and is great at delivering humour. Grab’s glossy animations and funny character transformations would capture anyone’s attention. You wouldn’t typically associate a corporation with this over-the-top style but that makes it all the more fun!
4. PS5: Play like never before
With their stunning 3D rendering, PlayStation shows off the PS5 with crisp sharpness. All of the PS5’s new features were highlighted in this explainer video. The thrumming beats in the background also helped create an immersive experience to draw viewers in. Already known for their video consoles, PlayStation’s powerful presentation of the PS5 only amplified the hype and anticipation surrounding it.
5. Microsoft: Introducing Windows 11
In just under three minutes, Microsoft’s explainer video managed to demonstrate all the key features of Windows 11. It had no narration, but the visuals were more than enough. Their use of motion graphics paired with minimal but impactful text let viewers envision the ways they could use Windows 11. It didn’t only educate viewers on the new changes introduced in Windows 11 – it also let viewers catch a glimpse of its potential.
6. Global Health Media Project: The story of Coronavirus
With the ongoing pandemic, this animated video is still incredibly relevant. Global Health Media Project did a great job at explaining the virus through their animated video. The 2D animation depicted how the Coronavirus spreads and affects its victims. With a subtle palette, it paints a sombre and tragic picture. However, colour slowly seeps in when the video explained how viewers can combat Coronavirus and recover from it. These subtle visual cues truly sell it as one of the best animated explainer videos in 2021 & 2022!
7. Google: Hellooooooooooo????
Released right after Father’s Day, Google’s heartwarming animation was about a father reaching out to his son. The animation was simple, mostly floating text bubbles and search results – but it conveyed a heartfelt story. The narration was told in a series of google commands, a clever choice. Besides showing off Google’s creativity, it also implied how Google can assist you with anything — even matters of the heart.
8. DeadHappy: Mick and Tel: Pussycat!
When you think of insurance, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Surely not cartoons and funny lines. Well, that’s exactly what DeadHappy used in their animation. To explain how their insurance policy worked, DeadHappy used 2D animation to create a captivating cartoonish style. The bright colours paired with the funny characters gave the video an air of whimsy that endeared them to viewers. It also showed that DeadHappy didn’t take themselves too seriously. You usually expect the opposite from an insurance company, so it only made them stand out more!
9. Gojek: New on Gojek
Say hello to the new features on Gojek! Gojek’s animated video is buzzing with excitement as a speedy montage introduces you to each new feature on Gojek. From premium cars to massive cars that can fit your entire family tree, Gojek meets all your needs. The snappy music adds a zesty touch and complements the vibrant animation. Fun fact, our team at CraveFX made this video 😉.
10. Monday.com: Work without limits
This video is packed with information, but the colourful animation goes a long way in making these hard facts palatable to viewers. The voice over enthusiastically guides you through how Monday.com works. This is then paired with smooth graphics that are brightly coloured and captivating. What might have been a dry and dense explainer video is transformed into one that’s actually fun to watch!
After watching all 10 explainer videos you might be wondering…
What makes a good explainer video?
Ultimately, we think it boils down to these key traits:
- Be compelling. As attention spans continue to shrink, it’s even more important to know how to captivate your viewers. Animation may be compelling, but a good story and a well-executed edit are key ingredients for your video’s success.
- Be clear and succinct. In a matter of minutes, your viewers should be able to understand what your explainer video is about. Be selective with what you include, time is precious!
- Have a good story. It doesn’t need to be elaborate. But it definitely needs to be one that strikes a chord with your audience.
