top of page

How to Select the Marketing Agency Best Suited for Association Animation and Explainer Videos

  • Writer: The Ways and Means
    The Ways and Means
  • Nov 28
  • 2 min read
marketing agency office

The Association Executive's Mandate: Turning Complexity into Clarity


Animation is often the superior choice when the goal is to simplify complex ideas such as technical processes, regulatory changes, or scientific principles that live action cannot easily capture. The challenge is ensuring the agency balances visual creativity with strategic clarity.


1. When Animation Outperforms Live Video


Animation is a strategic choice, not a default one. The benefit of deep expertise is knowing when to use animation to mitigate the risk of filming abstract or sensitive concepts.


  • Strategic Choice: Animation outperforms live video when the message is abstract, relies on data visualization, or requires demonstrating internal processes or historical concepts that cannot be filmed.


  • Vetting Tip: Ask the agency to justify their recommended style (e.g., explainer video, motion graphics, 3D) based on educational effectiveness and audience retention, not just visual appeal.


2. Balance Storytelling Clarity with Visual Creativity


The animation agency must be vetted for its ability to prioritize the message over the motion.


  • Clarity Standard: Demand the agency demonstrate their process for translating complex data or jargon into a simple, clear script and storyboard before any animation work begins. The visual design must serve the storytelling clarity.


  • Technical Term: The agency must demonstrate the ability to use Visual Storytelling techniques to make complex data readable and engaging.


  • Common Pitfall: A common mistake is focusing too heavily on visual creativity, resulting in an expensive animation that is visually engaging but fails to deliver the core educational or advocacy message.


3. Ensuring Brand Alignment and Accessibility


The final product must integrate seamlessly with your brand identity and meet legal requirements.


  • Brand Alignment: Demand clear assurances on how the animation agency will adhere to your Style Guide for colour palette, typeface, and tone, especially if the animation is a standalone piece.


  • Mission Metric: Demand the metric be Target Audience Sentiment Shift (measured through pre- and post-campaign surveys showing a change in attitude toward the sector or profession).


  • Accessibility: Ensure the agency is proficient in meeting AODA AA compliance standards, which includes clear closed captioning and accessible colour contrasts.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)


  • What’s the difference between animation and motion graphics? Animation typically refers to character-driven storytelling; motion graphics involves animating text, logos, and charts to visualize data or concepts concisely. Both are valuable but serve different strategic purposes.


  • How long does it take to create an animated video? Animation projects typically take longer than live action because they involve detailed scripting, storyboarding, illustration, and multiple client review cycles for both the script and the final design.


  • What are common mistakes associations make with animation? Failing to simplify the script enough, resulting in animations that are too fast or visually dense, undermining the goal of simplifying complex ideas.


Animation: Partnering with Association Expertise


Choosing an animation agency with deep industry expertise is vital for mitigating the risk of complex messages being misunderstood. A specialist knows that clear, compliant, and well-scripted visuals are necessary to achieve educational and advocacy goals.


The Ways and Means Marketing Inc. brings the expertise to simplify complex ideas, ensuring visual creativity is always aligned with strategic clarity and mission objectives.


bottom of page