Classic animation, or 2D animation, is a cost-effective way for brands and organizations to share their marketing or educational content. The approach works well for videos of different lengths, including short video ads and e-learning series.
Blue Carrot, an award-winning animation studio once founded as a 2D animation company, has comprehensive experience resolving clients’ tasks with classic animation. In this article, the company’s experts go deeper into those aspects of 2D video production that are important for businesses and list why videos of this artistic style may work for particular commercial or educational projects.
What is 2D animation?
2D is a term that describes classic animation based on a sequence of “flat” frames drawn by hand or using digital tools. It is one of the oldest types of animation, known for its low production costs and almost endless creative opportunities. Thus, the key advantage of 2D technology is that artists can draw almost anything they want from scratch. The process doesn’t require creating adjustable models and programming them (as with 3D) or moving physical objects and shooting them to develop a sense of motion.
The most popular types of classic animation are cut out animation, motion graphics, flat animation, and whiteboarding. The last technique is considered to be the most budget-friendly as all it requires is a board and a camera or a digital tool to imitate drawing pictures on a board. In both cases, the production takes minimum time and effort.
An average 2D video of 60—180 seconds can be produced in 4—6 weeks (100—300 working hours); the process will involve scriptwriters, storyboard artists, illustrators, motion designers, voiceover and sound design artists, and a creative producer. However, production timelines and a set of experts depend on your task’s complexity: the shorter video and the simpler style, the faster and cheaper production.
Advantages of using 2D animation in your creative campaigns
Classic animation works well for various purposes, including regular social media campaigns, advertising, corporate presentations, e-learning, and testimonial videos. Moreover, you can repurpose materials initially created as style frames or parts of a storyboard to use as static design elements on your website, posters, and in offline store interiors. The approach will save your budget, as well as help to build outstanding branding.
Another significant advantage of 2D animation is that videos of this type look authentic and attention-grabbing on social media, a website, or a TV screen, as these environments are massively dominated by staged live-shot videos. With 2D animation, you can choose any visual style, trending color palette, or fantastic creature to feature—and the approach will not cost you a fortune.
Due to its production simplicity, 2D animation allows brands to stay cost-effective and spend less time testing marketing or other hypotheses. As soon as a team has an idea for a video-based campaign, a 2D animation company like Brue Carrot can start working on the project and will come up with a ready-to-use video in a couple of weeks—much sooner than it may happen if you choose 3D or live shooting.
Final thoughts
2D animation is an excellent tool for companies to promote their products, make their e-learning materials clear and memorable, and raise brand awareness. The artistic technique enables fast and budget-friendly production, leading to higher chances of reaching ROI soon, testing more marketing or educational concepts, and creating a coherent brand image with less effort.
Explainer videos, commercials, and e-learning episodes are the types of content that look best in 2D. And suppose you are still working on your corporate identity. In that case, consider 2D style frames, character sketches, and storyboard frames that can be used for your static designs and printed materials to connect with your audience better and create a recognizable brand image.
