Animation video productions have grown especially popular in recent years in the marketing sphere, with their appeal lying in clearly conveying the appeal of services and products. In everyday life, we're seeing more opportunities to encounter animation used on YouTube channels, music videos, and similar content.
However, when researching production companies to commission for animated productions, many people likely face these concerns when confronted with a vast number of articles:
“There are so many similar animation production companies out there, and I don't know which one to choose...”
“I don't even know how to start choosing a company to work with...”
This article introduces key points for selecting a production company, aimed at those beginning to consider implementing animated videos. To avoid mistakes in your animated video production, read this article and learn the essential points for choosing a production company.
As mentioned at the outset, demand for animated video production has surged significantly in recent times. There are two primary reasons for this increased demand.
Expressiveness that's easy to understand
Easier casting options
Thus, animation's flexible expressiveness makes it easy to convey messages, and the fact that no casting is required for characters makes it highly suitable for corporate use—these factors are cited as reasons for the growing demand.
Expressiveness that's easy to understand
First and foremost, it's incredibly easy to convey information via animation. With free expression and visual clarity, it makes it simple to communicate a product's strengths and even convey difficult-to-express numerical data.
Furthermore, the ability to freely express voices and visuals through character use has likely driven the growing demand for animated video production.
Because it easily conveys abstract concepts, it's increasingly used to create corporate training videos and for sales purposes.
Easier casting options
The second appeal is that producing animated videos requires less casting compared to live-action filming. This is because even the characters themselves can be created from scratch, eliminating the need to arrange performers or filming locations that align with the brand image.
Additionally, it's possible to use real actors only for the human characters, combining them with animation and adding narration.
Reducing the effort required for scheduling, locations, and casting is likely to be of significant value to managers handling diverse responsibilities within the company.
Furthermore, animated videos can be produced using “characters.” This means there's no need for on-camera appearances, and using characters can help increase brand recognition and foster a sense of approachability.
What to prepare before choosing an animation production company
Here, we will explain what you should prepare in advance when commissioning an animation video from a production company.
Always clarify your production objectives
One way to gauge the track record of a production company you're considering is to watch videos they've produced in the past. However, there's something you should do before that. Before reviewing their portfolio, you need to clarify your purpose—specifically, clearly define “Why are you producing this animated video?”
This is because if the purpose is misaligned, even if you end up with a great-looking video, it might not deliver the expected results. With your purpose firmly in mind, you need to compare and evaluate the production company's portfolio to determine what kind of video you want to create.
Examples of goals include raising awareness of your company name or service, driving traffic to your website, or attracting customers to purchase your products.
If your goal is to build awareness of your service, but you end up delivering a message that feels overly salesy, like a campaign announcement, viewers will likely feel “suddenly sold to and annoyed.”
Decide where the produced video will be used
The length, structure, and message of the video you produce must be tailored to its intended platform. Therefore, deciding where it will be used is crucial.
Examples of platforms include video ads, social media posts, company presentations, and service demonstrations during sales pitches—the applications are diverse.
Clearly define the purpose and context (the specific scenario) for which you plan to produce the video before selecting a production company.
Even when planning for social media account posts, the ideal video format will vary because user viewing attitudes differ across platforms.
Look at the production company's background and video content
Next, here are key points to consider when evaluating a production company's portfolio. Focus on two aspects: “the background of the video production” and “the video's content.” To assess these, pay attention to the following:
Ask about the motivations behind specific projects
Visual quality isn't always non-negotiable
There are multiple animation styles, each with distinct characteristics. These include slideshows, motion graphics, character animation, whiteboard animation, and 3D animation.
Understanding the background of the video's creation is crucial to grasp what type of animation the production company specializes in. This helps prevent a disconnect between your envisioned video and the final product.
Ask about the motivations behind specific projects
The purpose of production varies depending on the type of animated video. This is because the most suitable expression technique depends on the content you wish to convey.
For example, if you want to use animated videos for video ads, you'll likely want to produce many videos at a low cost. For those with such objectives, using slideshows for production is ideal, as it allows for increasing the number of test videos at a low price.
In other words, you can understand the reasoning behind prioritizing production speed using slideshows to mass-produce content as cheaply as possible and with the shortest production time.
Beyond the client's perspective, when creating social media accounts or video ads, you must also consider “maximizing effectiveness.” This necessitates thinking about the most suitable expression and message for your audience.
Specifically, to prepare “high-quality videos that capture viewers' interest or resolve their questions,” it's crucial to ensure not only the content but also the expression is easy to understand.
Furthermore, unlike personal YouTube channels, when creating promotional videos or TV commercials where specific artistic vision is crucial, techniques like 3D animation or frame-by-frame animation are often employed.
Every animated video produced has a specific purpose. When you find a video you think is beautiful or impressive, it's always a good idea to ask about the purpose behind its creation.
Visual quality isn't always non-negotiable
With the growing demand for animated videos, those reading this article and considering implementation naturally want to outsource to a “good production company,” right?
However, a common mistake when searching for an animation production company is equating “companies that make cool videos” with “good production companies.” That's not necessarily the case. High-quality animation videos, meaning visually stunning ones, aren't always necessary. What's more important is determining whether the company can produce a video that aligns with your purpose and budget.
To ensure effective results, it's crucial to clarify “why you're making the video” – the purpose of the animation – before requesting quotes. Keeping your budget and purpose in mind, review the company's portfolio by examining the “background behind the video production” and the “content of the videos” they've created.
What should you outsource to an animation production company?
The demand for animation videos, which are more understandable than images or text, is expected to continue growing.
When outsourcing animation video production, you can either entrust the entire process from start to finish or outsource only specific parts. Depending on your objectives and budget, you could also outsource just the illustration creation or editing.
Why not consider commissioning an animated video production at this opportunity?
Furthermore, if you wish to operate a YouTube channel or similar platform, it's crucial to consult companies that possess expertise in managing various media channels beyond just video production.
This is because having extensive knowledge about the videos themselves is one thing, but ensuring they are suitable for each platform and optimized for its algorithms is an entirely different matter.
When outsourcing from PR planning utilizes animation
When utilizing animation for business PR, it's more important to focus on creating mechanisms to get your content seen—such as leveraging social media platforms—and having expertise in PR, rather than solely pursuing high-quality video production.
That's why we recommend NOKID, the team behind this blog. They've managed numerous animation channels and supported not only video production but also the expansion of awareness for various events. Key reasons for our recommendation include:
1. Comprehensive creative capabilities covering diverse styles, delivered by creators meeting NOKID's rigorous standards
Within the medium of animation, there exists a wide range of styles—from simple slide transitions to complex 3DCG applications and traditional cel animation. At NOKID, our creators, all selected through our rigorous screening process, can meet diverse creative demands.
2. Video planning and production capabilities that go beyond just “creation”
When producing videos, simply creating them according to requests often fails to deliver results. At NOKID, we plan the structure and expression of videos aligned with their intended purpose.
For example, TikTok's algorithm is optimized for awareness, where users swipe through videos one after another. Therefore, we consciously balance “business perspective and creative perspective” – focusing on ideas to grab attention within the first 2-3 seconds and determining what information to share to connect to PR.
Even if a post gets reactions, if it's a “bizarre post” that doesn't connect to the business at all, spending production costs on it is unlikely to increase the company's value.
3. Planning capabilities—from event/project planning to PR
The key to a successful event lies in how many potential customers learn about it and become interested. Even a fantastic event will remain unknown and end without much excitement if it lacks effective PR.
At NOKID, we've provided support from the planning stage—how to build online awareness for events and what kind of video content is best suited for that purpose.
By effectively utilizing social media, we not only expanded awareness before the event began but also carefully crafted ways to keep things exciting during the event period, ensuring participants didn't get bored. This approach even created opportunities for users who weren't attending to become interested.
4. Ability to adapt to change, built through early implementation of cutting-edge technologies like NFTs
We actively incorporate cutting-edge technologies like NFTs and strive to leverage them for PR. As shown above, we also participated in the world's largest NFT online event, “Nonfungible Tokyo” where we shared insights.
Please take a look at our portfolio to see what kind of expressions we can create.
Marketing Perspective in Japan: Beyond Just Creation
NOKID provides creative planning and production for PR using characters, events, and video content. Effective videos balance business and creative perspectives, e.g., short clips optimized for TikTok, designed to capture attention in the first 2–3 seconds.
For first-time animation or PR-focused content, feel free to consult with us.
Tokuma Kanna
Founder and CEO of NOKID Inc., a premier creative studio specializing in short-form animation and graphic design. With a focus on narrative-driven visual storytelling, he has spearheaded high-profile projects across the global entertainment landscape. His portfolio includes the acclaimed VALORANT: YORU TYPICAL DAYS cinematic, the Hatsune Miku x Seven Premium 15th Anniversary campaign, and Koda Kumi’s music video "100 no Kotoba-tachi e." As a leading producer in the PV and MV sectors, Tokuma continues to redefine the intersection of animation and contemporary digital media.
