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Disclaimer: In this article, our intention is not to convince you that 2D motion graphics is the best style.
However, it does possess several advantages that make it the most popular animation style for corporate and business videos.
Let's begin by reviewing these advantages, and then we will explore five outstanding examples.
9 Advantages of 2d motion graphics
1. Finding a motion graphics studio is easy
There are many great 2D motion graphics studios out there. There are a few different key reasons for this. One of the main reasons is that there are far more people out there trained to use computer software than there are artists who want to make animated videos.
Now, of course, if an animation studio has talented artists and computer savvy designers, they get the edge. But much of the work of 2D motion graphics is done by using software to animate existing assets. You can get an amazing video that takes your logo and creates beautiful transitions by someone knowing how to use Adobe After Effects. Of course, that is a very basic example, but the point is you can get a great video by taking existing materials and using software to animate them.
You’ll also learn quickly that while there may be many studios, there is a difference in quality between them, and it isn’t always based on price. To get a better feel for motion graphics quality, we recommend you visit Behance. It’s a website where studios post their work, and animators and creatives talk about the work of others. It’s also a great platform to spend a little time on if you’re wondering what your own video should look like. You’ll come away from there with plenty of ideas.
2. Cost
Not only are 2D motion graphics stunning in video in the hands of a good production house, they are also the cheapest method of creating animated video. Traditional animation can look gorgeous and have its own charm, but every frame is hand drawn by an animator and it will cost much more for a custom video. It will also take a lot longer since an artist has to draw approximately 30 frames for every second of video. That is a lot of work, and as you can imagine, can be costly. A reasonable budget for a traditional animated video can be ten times higher (or more) than a 2D motion graphics animated video!
3D animated videos can also look stunning and there is a use for them, but they are also costly. And when I say 3D here, I don’t mean “put on your 3D glasses and watch things fly at your head.” What we’re talking about here is 3D modeled animated video. 3D also takes longer, and not just for creating. Rendering (mixing all the elements together to a final video) a minute long video can take hours because the 3D models have so much extra information than flat 2D graphics. That brings us to the next point.
3. Revisions
During the production process, there are often revisions. Most of the time they are minor, but even minor revisions chew up time and money. With 2D motion graphics, the revision process still requires work, but it’s far less work than other animation methods. Adjustments can be made simply, and a designer can play back the result in real-time.
For example, let’s say we need to change the timing of a scene so that a character transitions in and lasts one second longer on screen. With 2D motion graphics, the designer only needs to go into the project in After Effects, change the animation length, and the software basically does the rest. With traditional animation, that entire sequence needs to be either redrawn or drawn for the first time. To add one additional second requires 30 additional frames of the character to be animated.
With 3D, every minor change is still a major change, because you’re working with an entire extra dimension of data. Adding that one extra second to the video may not take too much time once you’re in the project, but rendering it out into its final video may take a few hours. And that may not seem like a huge deal until you realize that you have to re-render the video each time someone wants to put in a new logo or decides a character should be blue instead of yellow, and that adds up real quick. That makes it incredibly inefficient to make revisions to a 3D animated video.
4. Deadlines
This is an extension of what we’ve been talking about in regards to the ease with which revisions can be made to 2D motion graphics projects. When you’re up against a tight deadline, there’s no better chance for making sure you’ll hit it than when you’re working with 2D motion graphics.
Got an urgent presentation to a client in two hours and your CEO just decided to change your slogan? You can get that change made and get your revised video uploaded to you with enough time to take a coffee break before your presentation.
The same is true if you’re up against a product launch — you’re assured the quickest turnaround possible if last minute details need to change. Barring a page-one rewrite (which will still get done far quicker than 3D or traditional animation), you’re setting yourself up to be prepared when going with 2D motion graphics.
Another time-based aspect is that because 3D and hand-drawn animations are so work-intensive, every detail must be approved ahead of time before work can begin. It’s in no one’s good interest to do extensive work before the client is 100% signed off on it with those styles. With 2D motion graphics, making those same adjustments is far less time-consuming which means it’s not as imperative to have every little detail approved before doing work.
5. Long-term support
Sometimes revisions need to happen long after the project is finalized. While a new slogan or logo right before launch rarely occurs, rebranding happens all the time after a couple of years. And the same revision rules apply — it’s far easier to make changes to a 2D motion graphics project file, even years down the line.
Additionally, the ease of use of the platform is a marketing team’s dream. It’s easy and affordable to make a video with several different versions with minor difference or alternate CTAs for testing purposes or to target different audiences.
6. 2d Motion graphics is the industry standard
Even the largest companies and brands on the planet — Google, Microsoft, Slack, everyone — use 2D motion graphics for ads and their explainer videos. They have the money to do whatever they want, so why do they often go with the “cheapest” option?
One is because of the flexibility. They’ve got deadlines and presentations too, and having the ability to make quick and easy changes is a must. Another is because, especially with corporate explainer videos, the main goal is to deliver a message.
The video can be stylish and beautiful (and should be at least to some extent), but the ultimate goal is just about always to launch a product, introduce an idea, or reinforce a brand — not win an Oscar.
That said, there are scores of wonderful 2D motion graphics animated videos that do win awards and go viral because of how well produced they are.
7. Ease to change to different aspect ratios
Just like 2D motion graphics are easier to work with for revisions and when you’re working with a deadline, the style also plays great with different aspect ratios. It’s relatively easy to make a 2D motion graphics video work in the 1×1 size of Instagram, the 16:9 widescreen look, or a 9:16 portrait ratio for phone viewing.
For 3D animated videos, moving all those models around to fit different aspect ratios takes a tremendous amount of time, and simply cropping the video will make it look sloppy and cut out necessary details. And porting traditional hand-drawn animation into a different aspect ratio is just plain impossible. Your only options for that are an awkward crop or literally redrawing the entire animation from scratch to fit the new dimension.
8. 2D Motion graphics look great with other styles
You’ve seen plenty of videos or commercials combining 2D motion graphics with other styles whether you immediately realize it or not. All those live action videos with floating text and a logo that flies in at some point (which is just about every commercial out there) is exactly that.
2D motion graphics are also appealing when mixed with other formats — they look great with 3D, whiteboard videos, traditional animations; pretty much everything. One of the reasons for this is that the industry standard suite of software from Adobe makes it easy to seamlessly blend or add motion graphics into projects, so they have evolved to work well with all types of projects.
9. It’s easy to create and convert corporate visuals
Because of the vector based graphics used, it’s very easy to create infographics, animated charts and graphs, liven up numbers (great for adding life to unexciting visuals like budget forecasts), deliver statistics, and more. With 2D motion graphics animations, you can make even a hard-number breakdown of the fiscal quarter interesting to pay attention to.
Also, it’s quite easy to convert those assets into other forms of media. You can easily pull an infographic from the video project file, blow it up, and print it out for a high quality board-room display. On the flip-side, if your marketing team has already created an infographic in Photoshop or Illustrator, the pieces are in place that can be turned into a video by animating the different elements of the project file.
5 great examples of 2d motion graphics videos
1. Fliproom
Fliproom is an all-in-one solution for managing your sneaker business. It transforms your sneaker business into an advanced logistics center, accessible right from your phone.
Now, imagine you're a reseller and you open a video that starts with 'Hey reseller'. That would definitely grab your attention, wouldn't it? Especially when it's followed by an engaging explainer that addresses your specific challenges in vibrant, fresh colors.
Speaking of colors, that's another advantage of 2D motion graphics. Even if your video's colors are no longer trendy, you can update them in just 5-7 days.
Isn't that fantastic?
2. What is Enjin
When presenting digital products, especially those related to blockchain or NFTs, motion graphics are irreplaceable.
Consider the Enjin explainer video as an example. This video is for gamers who want to make the most of their online investments and combine their love for gaming with a unique economic strategy. It is highly informative and effectively simplifies complex technological concepts, making them relatable.
Most importantly, it uses a gaming style to communicate its message, like what gamers usually see on gaming platforms.
3. Liv app
The video effectively communicates the significance of individual action in combating climate change by introducing Liv as a practical solution. Its persuasive narrative highlights how we can take control of our environmental impact through informed choices.
The video engages young individuals through its contemporary style and lively illustrations. It skillfully communicates a worldwide problem in a highly imaginative way. Imagine if this video were just live footage or interview-based; the younger audience might simply skip it. However, the use of 2D motion graphics in this style effectively captures their attention and conveys the message.
4. Meet Air cloud
This impressive video demonstrates how Air can save time and enhance productivity for marketing and creative teams. Its strength lies in the clear illustration of how Air can streamline the often chaotic and fragmented creative process.
It might sound trivial, right?
That’s because creative teams typically receive this kind of information before starting any project. What makes this video stand out are the gorgeous characters that captivate viewers, compelling them to watch until the very end.
Furthermore, the video successfully convinces viewers to explore the tool further, which is its primary objective: to persuade you to learn more about the product. Whether to purchase it or not goes beyond the video's purpose.
5. Semrush trends
This video perfectly demonstrates another advantage of 2D motion graphics: the ability to tell stories using abstract imagery, all within a 30-second timeframe.
This is particularly important in today's TikTok era, where viewers quickly move on to the next video. While we assume that the video targets an existing audience, likely more engaged, this doesn't diminish the video's effectiveness.
Moreover, the video focuses on just one of the hundred features of Semrush. Investing millions of dollars for a single feature wouldn't be prudent. Here, they've managed to deliver a compelling message in just half a minute, with a budget under $15K.
Isn't that remarkable?
Conclusion
Hopefully this post gives you a comprehensive idea as to why a 2D motion graphics style is the best choice for your animated business video. It isn’t very often where the cheapest solution is also the best, but we live in an age of technology that has enabled this to truly be the case here. It wasn’t that long ago where if you wanted any kind of video to promote your business, your options were few and costly. Now, you can get a fully custom animated video that is designed from the ground up with your brand in mind, and at a price a fraction of the cost of what a video would have been a decade ago.
If you have any further questions, or would like to learn more about what Yans Media can do for your business, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are always happy to talk.
Useful Resources
How To Become A Great Motion Graphics Designer
25 Awesome 2d Animated Business Video Examples
10 Essential Motion Graphics Styles for Any Project
