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Making an Impact Internally With Video and Animation

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Making an Impact Internally With Video and Animation

Are you introducing a new product or service? Running a new campaign? Sharing a bright idea? Promoting success stories? Or reinforcing your brand values internally? Need to tell a story?

There are a number of effective approaches you can take when it comes to expressing messages and communicating concepts visually – we’ve included a few examples at the end of this post including:

  • Purely video
  • Purely animation
  • Combination of animation and video footage
  • Whiteboard style
  • Animation / motion graphics
  • Animated infographic

If you’ve had success with animation and video before you’ve already experienced the powerful impact it can have when it comes to sharing your comms messages, engaging employees and shaping behaviours. If not, we would urge you to consider it as a secret weapon in your comms mix…

Animated video in internal communication

Messages are spread throughout an organisation in seconds to any number of devices and can integrate perfectly with employees’ online experiences. Video is a fundamental part of this. It has a lasting impact in employee’s minds because it can cut through the noise, offering something a little different, unexpected and on a par with the types of quality content they’re viewing as consumers every single day.

Internal communication is all about better informed, more motivated and engaged employees. And there’s no doubt that a punchy animated video can form a central part of this challenge.

According to a study by Melcrum, 93 per cent of Internal Communication professionals believe video has become essential and Cisco tells us that 54 per cent of employees actually expect to see video in the workplace. When you have important messages to share, such compelling stats, the use of video is becoming inevitable.

Before you approach an agency or production company to get your exciting new video created, it’s a good idea to get a few steps ahead, going over the elements of a standard brief to get your ducks in line. After all, there’s a lot to think about with video animation…

Here are some thoughts to consider when planning your animated video:

  • Keep it brief – The maximum optimal length for an animated video is around 90 seconds and often 60 seconds is enough. Research shows that 50 per cent of your audience stops watching after 60 seconds, and 60 per cent stops after 120 seconds. (There’s no harm in creating a longer version with more in-depth detail for those seeking further information.)
  • Create a bold intro – You should aim to ‘hook’ viewers within the first 7 seconds as this is when they decide whether to continue watching or not. So a cracking start is vital.
  • Tell a story – Focus on a clear narrative by telling an interesting story around a subject or a central character that your audience will empathise and connect with. Be clear about your start, middle and end.
  • Write a perfect script – Tell your story in around 150 words a minute (the typical rule of thumb). Write it well, in simple words and short sentences, so that it flows and engages. Remember, in many cases, the less you say, the more likely people are to remember. It may help to have an ‘outsider’ write the script. Choose someone who can take a fresh look and explain things in a way that all employees will understand. The ultimate trick, as with so many forms of content, is to be brutal, cut your script back and be ultra concise.
  • Use a professional voice – Nothing spoils a video faster than poor audio. There are plenty of options out there so research a decent voiceover company and be sure to request a good selection of samples first.
  • Build in the brand – Consider your brand guidelines and think about how you can support the brand internally. Remember your employees are your brand ambassadors and you should consider every opportunity to build on this.
  • Have some fun! People love to be entertained. Adding something a little different to your video, whether it’s humour, a nifty surprise, or something a bit ‘out there’ can go a long way. It gets people smiling and helps them connect and remember.
  • Keep your visuals clear – When we talk about visuals, it’s not always high-level detail and top notch graphics. Basic, clear visuals, can be just as effective. The key is to create something that illustrates the story, reinforcing the voiceover and getting the message across without any room for doubt. Avoid style over substance.
  • Set the tone with music – Music evokes all types of emotions, and it sets the tone and pace for your video. Have a think about the type of soundtrack that would suit, particularly for impact at the start and finish.
  • Plan for the launch – Your video may form part of a wider campaign so don’t forget to plan ahead with a strategy to bring it all together. Consider your plan – leverage other channels such as your newsletter, social media platforms, e-mail, and events to share your video.
  • Integrate the video on your intranet – Think about the build up and start sharing messages on the intranet before it ultimately lands. Consider where it will live and how you will signpost people to it once it’s live.
  • Create a transcript – Share the transcript of the video so that it can be read as well as viewed – This may be useful for employees with poor eyesight that use screen reading technology. It also may help people find the video when they’re searching the intranet.

We’ve helped many clients create impactful presentations (videos, animations, and motion graphics) for a wide variety of purposes; from supporting short-term initiatives, change programmes and CSR projects to brand engagement campaigns, team building activities and lead-ups to large-scale events.

Animated video is highly versatile and can be used to bring so many elements of the business to life. We created this infographic with Qumu, the video production people to share 16 ideas on using video in internal communications. It’s well worth a browse to help you think about how some of your comms challenges could be solved through the use of animated video.

If you’d like to discuss a specific comms challenge that could benefit from some animated magic and sparkling ideas, then get in touch. Tweet us at @alivewithideas or email hello@alivewithideas.

We always recommend exploring outside your own industry to discover different approaches and spark new ideas. Here are a few videos we like that incorporate animation and graphics to add a new dimension. Take a look and get inspired!

 

Purely animation – Chevron – Operational Excellence

https://vimeo.com/86502240

 

Combination of animation and video footage – Adidas – There Will Be Haters

 

Explainer video about explainer videos

https://vimeo.com/75924498

Whiteboard style – Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson

Animated infographic – Innovating for Success – We particularly like the use of a timeline here…

“I feel like they own and care for the project as much as we do! I would not use anyone else for my creative work and think Alive is ahead of the game.”

Jo Hobbs — Communications Manager

“Thanks for all your help. We are delighted with the campaign, both in terms of the creativity and messaging but also the thought taken over the rollout of the materials. All looks absolutely fabulous!”

Sarah Crowdy — Campaign and Media Officer Communications, South East Water

“We went to ‘Alive’ for ideas on how to run a specific employee program in Europe. Alan and his team were brilliant in coming up with fresh, creative and practical approaches. The team took charge and executed brilliantly. We are pleased with the progress made so far and hope to have the same level of partnership and commitment going forward.”

Sobha Varghese — Tata Consultancy Services

“Alive helped us create a video of our response to the floods of winter 2019. Our Chief Officer received messages from all round the country praising us for it and was really pleased with both the video and the response to it.”

Alexander Mills, Communications Manager — South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue

“We had the privilege to work with the Alive team. It was our first time to be involved in creating an animation for our patients within paediatrics. The team were approachable, friendly, creative and very accommodating. Your vision for what you want to create, is at all times acknowledged, appreciated and accommodated by the team. They worked effectively and with great passion towards our project and worked not only alongside health professionals but also our patients who really enjoyed the experience of working with the Alive team. It has given our team the confidence and inspiration to do further projects in the future. We highly recommend Alive and their exceptional team.”

DR ELENI ATHANASAKOS, Lead Paediatric Clinical Scientist — NHS Barts Health

“‘The short animation developed in co-production with clinicians and young people is outstanding! Informative, developmentally appropriate, vitally fun and engaging. We are really grateful for the expertise of the Alive with Ideas team for their innovative approach in building children’s health literacy.'”

Kath Evans — Director of Children’s Nursing at Barts Health

“Our mission was to update our brand visuals to better reflect our innovative and forward-thinking organisation. After receiving numerous pitches from different branding agencies, Alive stood out with their clear passion and understanding of our identity and goals. We thoroughly enjoyed working with the Alive Team to create an engaging new brand that we are immensely proud of.”

Lianne Springer — Communications and Engagement Lead

“Alive wowed us during the pitch process and they didn’t stop wowing us throughout the whole project. Every person we worked with at Alive were so friendly, knowledgeable and clearly passionate about what they do. They have worked with us to really understand what we do and have created a new brand and website that really stands out from our competitors. Thank you!”

Louise Burnard, Head of Marketing and Communications UK — Be | Shaping the Future

“I think the team have done such a brilliant job, particularly with responding to our requests. It's one of the best mental health videos I've ever seen. Very proud to be associated with your exemplary work. Thank you so much.”

Dr Anna Batho — Clinical Psychologist – Critical Care, UCLH

“We have worked with Alan, Caroline and the wider Alive With Ideas team for many years. In that time, they have provided a dedicated service that is second to none. We appreciate their attention to detail and creative approach to bringing our brand, communications and stories to life. And would recommend them to anyone looking for creative communications support.”

Georgia Beech — Internal Communications Specialist, Ocado Group

“This is brilliant. I wanted to give my heartfelt thanks to all of the team who worked on this. You all understood exactly what we wanted to communicate and why, and then managed to do it in a way that was far better than anything I could have imagined. I’m a bit choked up to be honest!”

Sarah Wright, Head of Communications and Campaigns — NEA

“Each time I work with the team, I am always stunned at the effort and creativity that goes into each detail and am always eager for the end result. The team is extremely accommodating and always provide a fresh approach to our projects that elevates our communications materials!”

Alana Khaytin, Communications Specialist — Braskem America

“What I really appreciate about Alive is that they work with us as partners, and care as much about getting it right for our patients as we do.”

Sara Langston, Patient Engagement & Marketing Manager — italk

“Alive are unique in how much they deeply listen and invest in you and your ideas. I have not come across a company that listens as much as they do to ensure your needs are understood and met (actually - they always exceed my needs and expectations). Everyone I recommend Alive to has an equally brilliant experience. When you work with Alive, you are not only getting some genius creativity brought into your life, you are also hanging out with some of the best examples of human beings I’ve ever known.”

Steph Tranter, Hybrid Exec Coach & Psychologist — StephTranter.com

“The (Alive) team were able to creatively pull together and document (in just over 2minutes) everything our service has achieved over the last few months, from thousands of prescriptions deliveries to hundreds of phone calls made to the vulnerable. The final product was so powerful and reflective of what our service has and continues to achieve. It couldn’t have been better received within the service – thanks Alive for once again helping us to communicate our vision!’”

Emma Wright — South Yorkshire & Rescue

“We worked with the team at Alive to create our staff recognition video.
At a time like this, its never been more important to share the amazing work that our staff have done and continue to do on a daily basis under very difficult circumstances. We wanted to shout about this and recognise that when the time came, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue stepped up to the plate. We didn’t want an ordinary thank you post on social media or a basic email sent out internally, we wanted something special. Enter Alive. ”

Emma Wright — South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue

“Our company is fun, we have great brands, but most importantly we’re all about our people – and I wanted an agency who would understand that and help us bring it to life through our website and other comms. Straight away I felt that Alive ‘got’ us and provided the creative inspiration exactly where we needed it, as well as the technical expertise to deliver a well-functioning website.”

Keren McCarron, Head of Corporate Affairs & Communications — KP Snacks

“Boom!
Thank you so much. Incredible work done at incredible speed by incredible people.
Outstanding work as ever and what a turnaround. As for the concepts – wow. These are that good it would be an insult to describe them as just good. It’s a joke, quite frankly. This is exactly the Alive effect I was after. Right now I feel like I am living in an Alive With Ideas wonderland. Thank you!”

Jack Grasby, Campaigns Manager — SYFR

“If you are looking to improve creativity and build teamwork, I highly recommend a session like this for your team. No matter where you are in your creativity journey, a workshop like this can give your team a boost of energy and ideas to invigorate their creative thinking.”

Amy Lilja, IC Manager — Hennepin Healthcare

“Alive were there to help when we were working every hour to respond to the coronavirus outbreak. They gave us the creativity, ideas and support we needed to deliver campaigns which empowered our residents in the most difficult time most of us have ever seen, personally and professionally. The team understood what we needed, worked closely with us and delivered fast without any compromise on quality. Working with Alive has been a joy in the darkest of times and I have no doubt will have helped to save lives. Thanks team x”

Julie Odams, Assistant Director of Communications & Customers — Derbyshire County Council

“We got 'Alive' involved to help us shift mindsets across our organisation and they delivered! Using simple, clear and creative ideas the team have delivered us a campaign which has seen a dramatic increase in idea sharing and development. They’ve also played a significant role in creating a culture of shared success. I wouldn’t hesitate to work with again, in fact, we already are!”

Gavin Buckle — B&Q
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