The startup scene in Singapore is thriving, the venture capital is increasing with every passing year, and the city-state is becoming a haven for new businesses at a rapid pace. That’s especially true when we compare it with its fellow Asian countries; the stats speak for themselves.
According to the reports published in 2021, tech startups raised about $8.2 billion in the capital in Singapore within 9 months, which is almost double what they raised in 2021 and comprises more than half of the total funds collected in Southeast Asia. Not to mention there are over 15 startups worth more than $1 billion in value.
But, do you know what’s common among all the businesses mentioned above? First, they are in tech, and second, they invest a considerable chunk of their investments in powerful advertising. And as you may have realized by now, one of the most integral parts of their marketing strategy is videos, or animations, specifically. It’s simply a worldwide phenomenon now, even among established businesses.
What makes animations so powerful, and how to make one for yourself? This article will discuss all of this, and more.
So let’s jump in without any ado!
Why is animation important in modern marketing
With digital marketing catching fire in the past few years, the concentration of almost every company has shifted towards connecting with their audience through the internet. The reason is simple: they can do more targeted marketing with maximum reach.
Now in some cases where a simple banner ad or a video will suffice, things get a bit complex when trying to convey an abstract message or describe a complex product. Conventional videos will either explain it incompletely or may require extending the video from more than the recommended limit.
In the first case, you will fail to provide them value, and in the second, the video will likely lose engagement due to extended time. Animation eliminates both problems and describes even the most complex topics and products in just a few seconds..
But are these the only things that make animation important? Probably not! There’s much more to it. For example:
1. Imagination is the limit in animation
In an animated video, you have control over each and everything. You are not confined by the material limitations. You get to visualize your thoughts on a screen, no matter how complex they are.
It’s a realm of possibilities where your imagination is the only limit. You can make whatever aligns with your strategy, that too, to the highest standards.
2. It is catchy and visually stunning
The vibrant colors, out-of-the-box patterns, and expressive nature of animation can catch the attention of just about anyone and fully immerse him in the video. It not only conveys your marketing message effectively but ensures that your audience hears and sees it through gripping visuals.
Your message will not only be delivered, but also retained for a long time.
3. It is engaging
Compared to other types of marketing videos, animation is more engaging as it allows you to approach your audience in many different ways. You can use 2D, 3D, Interactive, Stop motion, JSON, or any other type of animation to appeal to your potential prospects based on the collected demographics. According to statistics, users pay more attention to animation than different types of content.
4. It’s short
The shorter the video, the better! Due to the visual flexibility and unlimited creative possibilities, an animation can explain even the most complex products in a few seconds. That, too, without boring the heck out of your audience. The exciting and dynamic visuals will intrigue anyone.
5. It makes you stand out:
In a market cluttered with poor-quality live-action videos and crappy TV commercials, animation is one of the most budget-friendly and effective marketing tools that drive sales and helps you stand out at the same time. It allows you to portray your brand identity in every aspect of the animation. From color theme to your company’s slogan and anything in between, it includes everything, either directly or vaguely.
6. It is budget and time-efficient
Animation is incredibly cheap compared to live-action and is prepared much more quickly. No waiting for your Mr fancy pants actor, no big transactions, no nothing! You just hire an experienced team of animators or an agency, present your demands and ideas, and leave the rest to them. On top of that, if you need a revision done to your video, you don’t have to book actors and the entire video team again. Animation can be revised as many times as needed without significant cost involved. It’s so convenient.
How to order a perfect animated video
Now that you know why businesses in Singapore and around the world love animation to promote their brand, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of making the perfect video for you:
1. Find the best producer
We would highly recommend going for a Singaporean animation company first as they usually have all the resources and a very dedicated team to handle each part of the project. However, if you are more into hiring an independent video producer, always try to find the best!
To begin with, narrow down your circle to individuals with previous experience working for your industry. This will eliminate a lot of the initial hurdles from the way and make the process much smoother. As they will also have a good idea of your target audience, crafting a perfect piece for your advertising campaign won’t be a problem.
Anyways, once you have narrowed down your circle to a few, check their reputation, read online reviews of each producer, and ask for referrals. Also, ensure that your production team uses the latest software for the job, like Adobe After Effects, Premiere, Cinema 4D, Houdini and so on.
2. Give your all to the script
The script is the soul of any video, whether animation or not. If you don’t have a good script, there’s not even the slightest chance you can make your audience stay on the video, let alone be compelled to buy your product. Just to give you some idea, here are some features of a great script:
- It always has a strong story that shows the audience as the protagonists.
- It is focused on the audience and their problems; your product comes second.
- It connects with the audience through sharing their pain and common issues.
- It focuses on providing a single, effective, and practical solution to the problem.
- It is always concise. It doesn’t have any extra jibber-jabber that could bore out the audience. The video ends in 2 minutes maximum.
- It always includes highly targeted questions to connect with the audience and makes the solution irresistible.
3. Hire a local voice-over artist
Hiring a local Singaporean voiceover artist is as important as anything when we talk about videos targeting a particular region. Since you are making videos for a Singaporean business, conveying your message in the local language and tone will help.
Since Singapore is a place with a diverse population, collecting some demographics will help here. Currently, about 37% of the Singaporean population speaks English, 35% speak Mandarin, while only 10% of the population speaks Malay.
4. Include aspects of local culture
You might have heard the importance of emotions in a marketing strategy and how it’s one of your greatest cards when it comes to persuasion.
Turns out, emotions are constrained by cultural values, which consequently define which emotions are more valuable and which aren’t and which ones you should be endorsing through your video.
Apart from the emotional perspective, including aspects of local culture in your video will also help you generally. It enables you to connect better with your audience and makes the video more relatable. This promotes engagement and might increase your chances of making some good conversions.
5. Make less, make better
If you have been in marketing for a while, you might have realized the importance of the quality of content you put out there. Remember, making a single, high-quality video a year will work much better than pushing out multiple poor-quality animations for just the sake of it. In more blunt words, it will destroy your brand image. So invest all your time in crafting a single video to perfection. You won’t regret it!
6. Share a story, not a product
The market is cluttered with sales crap. And if you follow the same strategy, you will be just another addition to the long list of companies who’ve had disastrous marketing campaigns.
For an animation video to be compelling, it’s essential to turn it into an emotion-packed story which presents the consumers as heroes; heroes who need a sidekick to make their life better, a.k.a, your product. Statistics show that 55% of people are more likely to convert if they like your story.
Conclusion
Despite a thriving hive for businesses, Singapore is a competitive place where standing out in the crowd is challenging. You have to provide a top-notch product and build a strong brand identity by spreading the word through an excellent marketing strategy.
But of course, it is impossible without making a great animated video, especially in a world where more than half of your audience value visuals more than anything. But then again, a great animation video isn’t a novice’s job.
In this article, we shared all the important deets of making a great animation video, what makes it perfect, and most of all, why it is more important than ever before. If you liked the article, don’t forget to share it! We hope our two cents have been helpful.
Btw, we also make animations!
If you are searching for a team to make a perfect animation video for you, look no further! Being a Singaporean animation company, we can meet all your production needs. Our award-winning team is capable of creating 2D & 3D animations, motion graphics or anything in between. Our services include corporate videos, explainers, and business videos as well.
Feel free to get in touch to discuss your video or animation needs via our enquiry form here.