What Is 2D Animation and Why Is It Popular in Marketing?

When you hear the word “2D animation”, most likely, you associate it with classic Disney films or The Simpsons. That’s because animation is a popular form of entertainment and is widely used for creating animated movies and cartoons. But today, animation is becoming increasingly popular in the world of marketing. 

With the rise of video content, lots of businesses consider using 2D video animation in their marketing campaigns. That’s because animated videos are engaging and can make a huge impact on the audience. And they can be just adorable. No wonder that using animated marketing videos in advertisements and on landing pages can increase conversion rates by 20%. Wondering whether 2D animation videos are the right option for your business? Keep reading to find out.

What Is 2D Animation?

2D animation is known as a traditional animation existing from the late 1800’s. Two-dimensional space means that each object has only 2 dimensions – length and height. There are about 24 timeframes in one second, and depending on the style, there can be as many as 24 unique sketches in one second of 2D animated video or just as little as 2.

In the past, all images were drawn by hand on paper, clear sheets of acetate called “cels,” or any other flat, two-dimensional surface, so the production process was very time-consuming. But today, computer software has replaced these traditional processes for digital techniques that are much easier, faster, and more cost-effective.

2D animations are created in 2D graphics programs such as Adobe Animate, Adobe Photoshop, and After Effects. Computer programs can create a 2D image in a file that acts as a virtual “cel,” and then color it. After that, animators create digital backgrounds, and then make individual frames by layering “cels” over these backgrounds. 

What Are the Phases of 2D Animation Production?

Now, let’s talk about how 2D animation videos are created. The process consists of 3 main stages: pre-production, production, and post-production. During the pre-production stage, the animation team creates an engaging story and writes a script that will direct the visual actions. This preparation stage also involves designing the characters, creating a storyboard that visually represents the sequence of actions and events, choosing the color palettes, preparing the backgrounds, and recording the voice-over.

During the production phase, the animation team gathers all the created materials together and produces the scenes. This process consists of a number of steps, including background painting, creating actual scenes that make up the animation video by acting out character activities. After creating rough animation, it is cleaned up (traced) and inbetweened adding additional drawings between two frames to make it look fluid. 

Then, the drawings are colored and painted with the help of computer software. The next step is the compositing process when the animators add the backgrounds, frames, and sounds, as well as other necessary effects, using various animation software programs.

The final step is rendering the scene as an image sequence or a movie. During the post-production process, the final editing is performed. The animations are enhanced with additional sound effects to increase their emotional impact on the audience.

Popular Types of 2D Animation Videos

These days, animation has become the norm of video production, and we see it in films, commercials, and on social media every day. 2D animation is a great fit for many industries and uses by its nature. Here are the common 2D animation use cases:

• TV shows and feature films
• Infotainment videos
• Brands videos and ads
• 2D explainer videos
• Product demos
• Training and educational videos
• Whiteboard animation videos

2D animation is a proven format for many businesses that use it to improve brand awareness and introduce their products or services. 

The best 2D animation videos use vibrant colors, dynamic character movement, and memorable messaging to inform, entertain, engage, and persuade the audience. The most popular style is 2D animation explainer videos that help simplify complex concepts, products, or services.

You can introduce your product or service to consumers and explain why and how they should use it. You can also showcase your unique proposition to potential customers. Whiteboard animation videos use a style that shows the audience the live drawing of texts and graphics. They provide viewers an educational experience. They are commonly used to explain how a certain product was made or how to use it. 

Product demo videos help educate your audience on the way certain products are supposed to work. They perform much better than plain text when illustrating what exactly a specific product does and what its best features are.

Advantages of 2D Animation

Many businesses incorporate 2D animation into their marketing processes. Animating information and using storytelling techniques allows businesses to communicate complex ideas more easily to a wider range of audiences. Since the majority of people are visual learners, the animation is the right choice when you have to communicate highly technical information.

You can show the value of your products and their benefits for individual users in real life and sell more than just a product, but the experience and the convenience it brings to a consumer’s life.

2D animated videos are also cost-effective because they are easier to produce than 3D animation and live-action videos. They have a shorter production timeline – typically, it takes about 6 to 8 weeks to produce an animated video, but the timeline can be also scaled to meet shorter deadlines.

Another benefit is that 2D animated videos can be easily edited and updated over time. It allows you to increase their shelf life and keep them look modern. And you can adapt their visual content and transform it into static graphic design elements. You can use them to create infographics, PowerPoint presentations, business cards, post cards, etc.

Conclusion

2D animation is versatile and can help you communicate almost any type of information, so it can be a great resource for your company. No matter whether you are using B2C or C2B marketing, video can help you connect with your target audience.

You should definitely include 2D animation in your online marketing plan because it is always cost-effective and engaging. 2D explainer animation videos are a fun way to entertain and educate your viewers at the same time. They deliver the impactful message and help convert your website’s visitors into customers.