Styles of Animation: Choosing the Best Fit for Your Brand

Every brand has a story—but how you tell it makes all the difference. Choosing the right style of animation can elevate your message from “just another explainer” to something memorable, persuasive, and uniquely yours. Whether you’re aiming for playful or polished, educational or emotional, the style you choose sets the tone and defines how your audience experiences your message.

That’s where a skilled animated video company becomes essential. They help you match your brand’s identity and objectives with the animation style that best communicates your value—so your video doesn’t just inform, it connects.

EXPLAINER ANIMATION: THE GO-TO FOR CLEAR COMMUNICATION

This is one of the most widely used styles—and for good reason. Explainer videos typically combine voiceover, custom visuals, and smooth transitions to simplify complex ideas or services. They’re ideal for tech products, SaaS platforms, onboarding flows, and service-based businesses that need to convey “what we do” in a minute or less.

A strong animated video company will help you structure the content, choose the right tone, and build visuals that support your message without overcomplicating things. It’s clarity with character.

CHARACTER ANIMATION: BUILDING CONNECTION THROUGH PERSONALITY

If your brand thrives on relatability or you want to inject more emotion into your messaging, character animation might be the right fit. Custom characters bring personality and warmth to your content—and they can be designed to reflect your audience, your team, or even your product.

Character animation adds a human touch. It’s great for brand storytelling, internal communications, and campaigns that benefit from a friendly, approachable tone.

WHITEBOARD ANIMATION: SIMPLICITY THAT CUTS THROUGH

Whiteboard videos simulate a hand drawing on a white screen, often paired with voiceover narration. This style is particularly effective for educational content, training videos, or step-by-step walkthroughs. It’s minimal, engaging, and focused on clarity.

While it may feel less flashy than other styles, it works brilliantly when done well—and a good animated video company knows how to elevate it beyond basic doodles.

KINETIC TYPOGRAPHY: LETTING WORDS DO THE WORK

Sometimes, words alone carry enough power—especially when delivered with rhythm, energy, and visual flair. Kinetic typography brings text to life, using movement, scale, and colour to highlight key phrases and guide the viewer through a message.

This style works well for bold campaigns, motivational content, and social ads that need to get to the point fast. It’s all about emphasis and pace.

2.5D ANIMATION: A LITTLE DEPTH, A LOT OF IMPACT

Not quite 2D, not fully 3D—2.5D animation gives flat graphics a sense of space and depth by layering and animating them in clever ways. It adds visual sophistication without the cost or complexity of full 3D modelling.

If your brand wants to appear sleek and modern, this style can create a premium feel without breaking the bank. It’s especially effective for finance, healthcare, or corporate communications where polish matters.

MOTION GRAPHICS: SLEEK, MODERN, AND VERSATILE

Motion graphics are clean, stylised visuals that are animated to explain a concept or enhance a message. They’re commonly used for data visualisation, infographics, app demos, or product feature highlights.

This style is incredibly versatile and pairs well with voiceover or music. A top animated video company will often recommend this format when you need a professional, polished video that still allows for creative flexibility.

CUT-OUT OR COLLAGE ANIMATION: PLAYFUL AND CREATIVE

Looking for something with a handmade or quirky feel? Cut-out animation layers real-world textures, photography, or illustrations in unexpected ways to create a bold, artistic look. It’s less common—but that’s what makes it stand out.

This style is great for creative industries, campaign-driven brands, or anyone looking to make a visual statement that’s a little off the beaten path.

MIXED MEDIA: WHEN ONE STYLE ISN’T ENOUGH

Sometimes, one style just won’t cut it. Mixed media combines two or more animation styles—or blends animation with live-action footage—for a dynamic, multi-textured effect. This approach is especially useful for longer-form content or layered messaging that needs visual variety to keep viewers engaged.

A great animated video company can help you blend styles without it feeling disjointed. They’ll know when to shift tone, when to switch visuals, and how to keep the whole piece feeling cohesive.

Need help identifying which style fits your goals and audience? Our animated video company works with brands to match the right technique to the right message—making sure your story is told in the most impactful way.

DON’T CHOOSE BASED ON TREND—CHOOSE BASED ON STRATEGY

It’s easy to pick a style because it looks cool. But effective content is rooted in strategy. What does your audience respond to? What emotions do you want to evoke? Where will this video live, and how long will people watch?

The best style for your brand is the one that helps your message land. A professional animated video company will guide you through this decision with insight and care—balancing your creative preferences with what will work in practice.

LET’S CREATE A STYLE THAT SPEAKS FOR YOUR BRAND

No matter what you want your video to achieve, the right animation style can make all the difference. We’re here to help you choose the one that reflects your voice, engages your audience, and brings your message to life.

Tell us what you’re working on, and let’s craft a video that doesn’t just look great—it feels like you.