Business and Marketing| Why Animated Commercials Are Fascinating
We all have a favourite commercial. That one advert that enticed us, it lingers in our mind, and we reminisce about it from time to time.
The unforgettable commercials, are usually the best commercials. Commercials can effectively tell a captivating story, in a short space of time. They lure us (the viewers) in, through a short and quick narrative — ultimately making us think about the product they’re trying to sell.
It’s a unique form of marketing. One that focuses on pulling in on the customer, instead of pushing the product in the customers face.
The Appeal of An Animated Commercial:
In my opinion, what makes animated commercials so appealing, is the imaginativity included.
Lets take the Wendy’s commercial as an example.
The commercial features talking beef burgers, and Wendy (the mascot), dancing in a giddy fashion, to a joyful melody of music outside a Wendy’s restaurant.
The cartoonish nature of the advertisement, successfully sells the friendly and hospitable appeal of Wendys. A place that provides a fun dining experience for customers, a place where customers (especially children) will enjoy eating hamburgers.
Wendy’s is targeting young children in this advertisement. The cartoony design has a unique advantage, it can uplift viewers in a way in which non-animated commericals, simply cannot. Despite the advert being animated, it’s alive, and it feels very real. It portrays everything about Wendy’s: The fun ambience of the restaurant, the joy of eating the food, and the overall excitement children feel when entering.
It’s an excellent representation of Wendy’s, illustrated through animation.
The Versatility of Animated Commercials:
Almost every popular brand has released an animated commercial. This speaks for the versatility of their purposes.
Though the commercial may look cartoonish, which is synonymous with children's entertainment. An animated cartoon can be aimed at multiple different customer profiles.
This recent McDonald’s advertisement, released in Japan is a great example of an all ages advertisement. It’s a beautifully captured animation, that features an family eating McDonald’s in the comfort of their home.
It’s a simple, quick and effective advert, that sells the idea of families eating McDonald’s together. It’s likely intended for parents, selling them the alternative of an enjoyable fast-food dinner, instead of cooking a laborious home meal.
Animated commercials don’t only sell products to consumers, they can also serve to inform. In 2015 Google released their “Project Sunroof” commerical.
A commercial that was intended to raise awareness about solar energy. Through it’s visually appealing animation style, partnered with it’s strong message. The commercial is highly engaging, visually showcasing why solar energy is so important.
Storytelling:
What I find truly fascinating about animated commercials, are they’re excellent ability to story-tell, coincided with their ability to sell.
The best commercials perfectly balance the two, never forcing the sale of their product down your throat, while simultaneously showcasing the benefits of the brand to the audience.
There’s a plethora of excellently produced commercials. A great example being the Oreo - Wonderfilled advertisement.
The commercial is visually spectacular. Using a swfit animation style that follows the story of what would happen to a wolf, vampire and great white shark, if they were given an Oreo biscuit.
What brings the advert to life, is the epic singing by Owl City. Their incredible vocals take you along the fun journey of the commercial.
Creative, funny and jovial. The advert is a great example of how to effectively market a product. Never does it try to sell Oreo's to you. Rather, it illustrates how fun consuming an Oreo is, through a high-spirited and humorous story.
In my opinion, this is what makes animated commercials fascinating and unique. And it’s the reason why I believe advertisements will be around, for a very long time.
