The world of digital PR has always been about presenting the right story to the right people. However, the way people consume these stories has changed dramatically over time.
Animated videos are becoming the most important tool in a PR professional’s toolkit. They are cost-effective, versatile, and engaging. In this article, we will discuss the most effective uses for them.
Why Do Animated Videos Work in PR?
Before we dive into the specifics, it is important to understand that why animations work well in PR campaigns.
First, animations work everywhere.
You can start by creating an animated video and putting it into a press-kit, landing page, email pitch, LinkedIn post, or a campaign, it will adapt.
Second, it simplifies the complicated.
Abstract concepts are not uncommon for PR professionals. They come with new technologies. Very complex financial products, policy changes, everything can be simplified. Animations can turn every difficult idea into clear, watchable stories.
Third, you control everything.
Thirdly, you control everything. There is no bookings pending for filming locations, no talent agency managing actors, or any weather delays for your crew. Furthermore, since every frame is designed based off a board, your brand’s language remains consistent.
7 Use Cases for Animated Videos in Digital PR
1. Explainer Videos for Product or Service Launches
Are you launching something new? Then you are already aware of all the challenges. Journalists around the world received hundreds of pitches every week. A dense, boring press release will barely make its mark. However, an engaging animated explainer can do the trick.
Animated explainers will help you with:
- You can simplify an extremely complex story
- Bring a clearer visual narrative in the story
- Use it to replace bulky press kits with watchable assets
- Give media content that can be embedded
A great example of this is the explainer video by Dropbox. The video is clean, simple, and immediately communicates value.
2. Data Visualization & Animated Infographics
Journalists love date. And more than that, they love original data. Providing them with compelling stats about your product can go a long way. Why? Because now they have something to build their story around. On the other hand, raw data in a spreadsheet will find the bin, very soon.
Animated infographics transform your surveys, industry reports, or trend analyses into stories that are irresistible to journalists.
This format can be used for:
- Explaining survey results
- Showing original research
- Showcasing industry trend reports
- Performance comparison analysis
3. Industry Education Video Series
Do you want to build authority for long-term branding? Instead of promoting your product, start educating your audience about the value it adds. A series of animated video content with short episodes having consistent style will do something remarkable overtime.
“The key is consistency and relevance. Don’t pitch your product. Instead, educate on the problems your industry faces. Let authority build naturally.”
This format works wonders for platforms like LinkedIn where audiences are keen to learn more about use-case scenarios for products.
4. Event Promotion Videos
Hosting a conference? A product launch? Or simply an industry summit? Animation can bring a lot of firepower to your event.
Use animated videos to:
- Building anticipation on your social media with countdowns
- Speaker spotlight reels for your lineup to add buzz
- Highlight recaps for your events
You can embed these videos into your press-kit. Journalists that are covering such events will need all the assets they can get to provide the best coverage possible. This can also include a well-made animated recap as cherry on top.
5. Investor & Stakeholder Communications
Animation is a great tool for financial communications. This can be applied to annual reports, funding announcements, business idea and model explainers, and for telling complex financial ideas into easy, shareable formats. This is exactly what a finance team needs to simplify their work for the rest of the world.
You can replace the static deck effectively by building an animated story around it.
6. Pitching Stories to Media
Pitching stories to media via animated videos is underused, but a gem. Most media agency pitches are filled with jargon, and a sloppy press release attached with it. They are in the trash bin in no time. In this hoard of boring emails, an animated video that tells the brand story can make your business stand out in no time.
Make sure the video is short, crisp, and highlights the pain points followed by solutions.
7. Localisation & International Campaigns
The PR world can be a nightmare when you have to run the same campaign across several markets. Furthermore, reshooting videos for targeting several markets can also be a nightmare. Animations solve this problem entirely.
- Use regional language in the video
- Add personalized subtitles for your audience
- On screen text to be adjusted for cultural reference
Conclusion
Animations are not optional in digital PR anymore. It is an essential tool to keep your audiences hooked, engaged, and educated about your product in the long run. The brands that get the most media attention aren’t always backed by big budgets, but rather use their existing ones in clever ways like animated explainers for PR.
Have more questions? Talk to a video expert from Zelios and get a detailed game plan to help grow your business.
Select the video type that aligns with your marketing objectives, and receive an immediate high-level estimate of the production cost.
