Choosing The Right Content Format And Use
August, 2025
Marketing Moving Content
Animated videos are one of the best ways for brands to connect and communicate with their customers. Animated video content by its very nature, is engaging because it can show potentially anything, even something brand new that we’ve never seen before! This eye-catching medium is perfect for not only attracting viewers’ attention, but holding it there.
The thing is, not all videos are created equal, and they cost money to make! Animated video is able to convey both information and emotion to an audience, the balance of which will determine what type of video best suits your needs and help you get the most out of your budget. Below we’ll share insights about some of these differences and make it easier on your decision making process. Let's dig in!
This animation was created by humans for humans. No AI was used. Find full project HERE
Explainer Video
An explainer video is just that, it’s main purpose is to explain something. Some products or services are complex and difficult to explain with white papers or website copy. Things like software, technology, and logistics can get deep in the weeds trying to convey not only how an offering works, but why a customer could benefit. The explainer video uses well crafted visuals and clear script writing to summarize this complex information in a short, easy to understand package.
To keep the audience’s attention, it’s best to keep an explainer video as short as possible. Typically they are one to three minutes long. Explainers are an excellent primer for contacts who visit your website, or reach out for an inquiry. Being the first thing a prospective customer sees, it answers many of the repetitive initial questions, while giving them an immediate understanding of your services. By answering many of these questions before a sales call or inquiry, businesses are able to better funnel prospects to sales, and even reduce call volume answering the same basic questions. Additionally, explainer videos make great demos or trade show videos because their highly visual nature greatly compliments a salesperson who can elaborate further.
Another important distinction that sets explainer videos apart is their structure. Typically explainer videos start by identifying customer pain points that your service seeks to solve. This gets the viewer to say, “ah yes, I have this exact problem!” Then the solution is presented, which is the explanation of how the product or service works and why it is a good choice, or better than the competition. Finally, the video concludes with a call to action or “CTA” in marketing lingo, that tells the viewer what they should do next, like visit a website, call a phone number or send an email.
See full case study of the Aspen Chamber Animated Videos.
Brand Video
A brand video can be more broad in the range of execution and style, but at its core the purpose is conveying a brand's identity and values. One of the great powers of video is the ability to show vs tell. A brand may have a website filled with mission or value statements, but with a video these same values can be communicated, sometimes without any words being spoken. By tapping into ideas that resonate emotionally with the viewer, a brand can expertly communicate their vibe, feel, and what they are about.
A brand video is usually shorter and more condensed than an explainer video, often around 1 minute. They often have less information about specifics and instead lean heavily on artistic interpretations, cinematic or powerful visuals, and music to create a strong and memorable impression through evoking emotion. These types of videos are great for marketing purposes, and driving brand awareness. Viewers are much more likely to become potential customers if they find a brand trustworthy and in alignment with their own values. For this reason brand videos work well on websites, as openers for company events, and also in tradeshow environments.
The structure of a brand video leans more into conveying vision and values with more narrative structure. The focus could be past achievements or history, customer testimonials, or could even lean into the abstract. Regardless of the focus, the key difference is about telling an emotional story that resonates vs conveying more detailed information.
How to choose?
Think about the specific needs for your business. If you are trying to get your brand noticed and build recognition and trust, a brand video is the right choice. If you find yourself answering the same questions and constantly explaining the same things to new customers, you need an explainer animation to speak about your offerings on your behalf!
Conclusion
A brand video is about conveying the essence of business or product is through emotion. An explainer video is about how a product or service functions in detail.
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