Animated Video vs Live-Action Video: Which One is Better For Your Business?
Can you imagine an animated version of The Godfather? Lacks the gravitas, right? However, most people preferred the animated cartoon Flintstones rather than its live action version…. So there is no single right choice. It's about what you do with it.
In the same way, the debate of animated vs live-action only depends upon individual preferences, consumer requirements, and resource limitations.
Animation has changed the visual world. From kids to elders, it attracts the masses. Don’t you like it when animated characters narrate about how to use a product or service? Well, animation is thoroughly responsible for bringing creativity to your story, and when applied correctly, it is effective and attention-grabbing.
Animated video vs live-action videos is still a debate among several marketers. Though both have their own benefits and type of audience, it is still tough to bet on one. However, some brands try to integrate both to produce exceptional results, and one of the incredible examples is by The Bold Content - the mix of live action interview video with animation. Watch the video here
If we talk about animation, it is not always a likeable choice in all circumstances. Sometimes, companies need to go the extra mile to impress their prospects, and live-action plays a vital role in this category.
Who doesn’t love the supervillain Joker?! Without any doubt the animated Joker character is legendary, but the live-action Joker has been magnificently played three-times and everyone has their own share of love for this character. Live-action videos are more relatable, as the audience can see and relate to the real characters, and this is what marketers are taking advantage of.
However, it all depends on your subject line and target audience. Still, most marketers are certain that live-action footage is more appropriate for the engagement. Companies often face a predicament about the style of a video, or what visual content to create that will perfectly meet their message.
"Will their content be impactful depending on the style or vision they chose?
What if they have landed in the wrong style, will they lose traction or their present customers?"
Marketers keep their strategies dynamic by constantly reanalyzing. But, if we're talking about traction – it is not something that you can get with a few videos. The goal of video content marketing is to build a loyal following.
Even if you adopt new video strategies it won’t immediately affect your traction; with video analytics, you can see which video content is working well for you!
Now that the excessive load of video content has been shed, let’s see what your e-commerce business should choose: “animated videos vs live-action videos.”
Animated Videos vs Live Action Videos
1. Target Audience
Regardless of the content type, the first thing to always consider is your target audience.
Animation, visual, live-action, or textual content, once you know what your target audience is interested in, your half of the complexity is over.
One of the best ways to analyze your target audience is by age. If your products or services are tailored to kids, for example, a new learning application, then you need to create an animation as kids are attracted more to graphics.
On the other hand, if you are targeting people from 18 to 25 years, you can use explainer animation videos for them to stay engaged and understand creatively what your product or service is all about.
Talking about live-action videos, these seem to attract both teenagers and people above 30.
You need to keep your target audience at bay when it comes to choosing for animated video vs live action.
2. Budget
Animated videos are great to attract your customers, but they can be a bit expensive. Even for simple animation videos, there are several hidden costs that one usually misses out on during the pitch.
A lot goes into creating an animation such as content, storyboard, animation, visual effects, music, sound effects, voiceover, etc.
But if we talk about live-action videos, they too have some unaccounted expenses. Apart from the content and storyline, you need equipment, VFX, editing, location, and other resources to give justice to your video content. Furthermore, when comparing animated video vs live-action, animated marketing videos can be more cost-effective than similar live-action productions.
3. Purpose
Consumers look for ease, and with complex products and services in the market, companies are not able to progress in the way they should. Sometimes a brand or an organization introduces a fascinating service or product in the market, but due to the complicated process, it becomes difficult for a brand to connect with consumers.
Luckily, with animation, companies can create explainer videos, just like a step-by-step guide suggesting how the product or service works and what value it provides to the audience.
On the other hand, if we talk about live-action videos, they evoke emotions among the audience. Consumers look for emotive content that they can relate to and engage with, and live-action videos stimulate the emotions of the viewers.
With your video content marketing, you need to know where to hit your viewers, whether it is a positive emotion or negative, live-action videos give you twice the response than any other content can.
The COVID-19 pandemic has strongly impacted our lives, and there is no one who can stand contrary to it. Google’s “Get Back to What you Love” is a perfect example of a live-action video that strongly connects to each and every individual.
4. Creative Control
You can make any vision a reality with an animated explainer video.
With animation, you can let your creativity run wild and communicate your message in the most imaginative way possible - there are no creative boundaries with this medium! If you want aliens following your goods or service, an animated explainer video can do that. As a result, you have the freedom to use your creativity to create whatever video you desire.
In just a few minutes, you can make logo animations using a variety of internet tools. You can better explain difficult topics using an animated explainer video.
Contrary to what animation provides, live-action certainly lacks creativity and discipline.
The major disadvantage of the live-action approach is its creative limits - the realities of, well, reality and money dictate that you compress your ideas and keep your material grounded.
5. Time-Constraints
As animated videos are simple to construct, you may make modifications at any time. At any time, you may change the color of a character or the complete character.
You do not have to worry about if your first draft is not up to the mark, you can make as many modifications to have the video you desire.
Talking about live-action videos, when it comes to making last-minute adjustments after the filming is over, live-action is far less flexible than animation, which may be altered or changed at any time. Reshoots take time and might cost you additional money.
When it comes to time constraints, animated videos vs live-action both have their own complexities. However, if we talk about creating short videos, then live-action is an optimal choice as animation will take the same amount of time to create a video as well as it will take additional time if you want to run any edits.
6. Production Time
Creating a superb animated explainer video might take anything from a few days to weeks. The amount of time it takes to make a video like this is determined by the sort of video you want to make, your target audience, and your budget.
You have to start from scratch with animated videos. From beginning to end, and everything in between. Thus, to bring your brand's message to life with animation, you must plan, develop, and produce every element, which takes time.
You should include these timelines in your decision-making process because a high-quality animated explainer film can take four to six weeks to produce.
A live-action video may be produced considerably more quickly than an explanation video. You only need to shoot and edit your video now that virtually everything is ready.
Now that you have clarity of animated videos vs live-action videos, let’s see where you can use these videos in terms of marketing.
Examples of Animation Videos
1. Homepage Animation
Creating a short animated video that explains what your services do will help your target audience to know more about you. Well, not everyone is a big fan of reading, but videos on the other hand, people can’t get enough. You need to educate your users now and then. Microsoft’s Hybrid Cloud Flexibility is an example to help you understand how you can incorporate informative animations into your homepage.
2. Sales Pitch Videos
The sales pitch video is a simple way to address the pain points of your viewers, explain how you can resolve their issues, and end it with a CTA. On a daily basis, consumers come across several videos, where some have a long-lasting impact, while others are forgotten within a few minutes. Metabrite’s automated consumer behavior system is the best selling video for businesses looking to understand their customers.
3. Product Promotion Video
The product promotion video can be introduced on social platforms, where you introduce your products, stating and explaining their benefits. Also, you can create an instruction video, regarding how to use your product or service. When we talk about creativity, some companies raise the bar. The Grubhub video is a fun filled video, making it an incredible product promotion video.
Examples of Live-Action Videos
1. Interview Videos
Interview-style videos are a wonderful example of Live-action videos. Moreover, it is a great way to increase reliability among your target consumers while also attracting the interested audience in your field and what you have to offer.
They can be shot with a single fixed camera or with numerous cameras then edited together to create a more dynamic effect. They can have one person on camera who is being questioned by an off-camera interviewer in a talking head format. The following video is the perfect example of an interview video, with the footage of training.
2. Vlogs
Many businesses utilize vlogs to address frequently asked questions, run website surveys, consumer testimonials, provide updates, and launch new products or services. The topics accessible for vlogging are just as diverse as those available for blogging.
Thus, vlogs are considered as a potential choice when it comes to creating live-action videos. Consider who will be the face of your organization while producing a vlog or shooting talking head videos. You might pick one individual or a small group to alternate episodes.
When we talk about Vlogs, there is no way we can miss out on GaryVee. He shares critical insights that are not only limited to marketing. Check his channel to see how you can manifest the power of vlogs.
3. 360-Degree Videos
360-degree video is an immersive video format that records a view in every direction at the same time using an omnidirectional camera or a group of cameras. A number of companies are choosing this type of video content for immense engagement with their target audience.
These videos may be seen via a headset that shows different portions of the scene based on which way the viewer turns their head, or on a regular screen with audience members clicking or tapping to modify the perspective.
GoPro is the pro when it comes to creating product promotion videos, that too without explaining the product dimensions, and letting the product talk itself, GoPro’s videos are a must watch.
Wrapping Up
You can never end the debate about animated video vs live-action videos, but when it comes to businesses, they need to use ones that can interact with their target viewers on a one-on-one basis.
The best way to decide between animated video vs live-action is to consider your objectives, which can be brand awareness, engagement, product promotion, etc. If you want to connect with your audience on a human level and transmit emotions, live video is preferable- as they use real people, which users can easily connect and communicate with.
Animated videos are an excellent way for expressing abstract ideas and complicated topics in an interesting and elaborative manner. All in all, when it comes to explanation and creativity, nothing beats animation.
The best way to decide between animated video vs live-action is to consider your objectives, which can be brand awareness, engagement, product promotion, etc. If you want to connect with your audience on a human level and transmit emotions, live video is preferable- as they use real people, which users can easily connect and communicate with.
Animated videos are an excellent way for expressing abstract ideas and complicated topics in an interesting and elaborative manner. All in all, when it comes to explanation and creativity, nothing beats animation.