Even the best public outreach campaign messages can fall flat if they are presented poorly. Two minutes of well-crafted animation nips that problem before it can get traction. An animated video can pack the story your campaign is trying to tell into a colorful, compact narrative that engages viewers and eliminates the presentation fatigue that can easily develop after another round of slide shows. Animated explainer videos turn complex ideas into entertaining visuals, expand understanding, gain audience attention, and remain in the memory of viewers as an outstanding effort to communicate. A great example of the use of animation in public outreach is the world's most shared public service announcement, Dumb Ways to Die, created by Metro Trains in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, to promote railway safety, particularly among young people.

What are animated outreach videos?

Outreach videos can be engaging—but they must also be accurate when presenting a public project, so be sure the technical program advises the creative team. Animated videos are clever and eye-catching. While they don't require the months of production needed to craft a high-quality video, they will benefit from professional guidance in developing a high-quality animated video or series of videos—to inform and engage your audience. Here are a few reasons short, animated videos should be part of a public engagement presentation:

Productive entertainment. Animated videos are memorable, and people will pay attention to the message and remember what they saw.
Focused message. Good animated videos can streamline complicated information and get critical information across in a way that is accessible to everyone.
Long-term usefulness. Animated videos are easy to share across many channels and recontextualized to fit wherever they appear.

How can animated videos improve public engagement?

Educational interest. Animated videos can touch on the major focus areas, with visual and audio that keep the facts front and center—add closed captioning, and you'll increase accessibility and the reach of your message.
It tells the community's story. Unlike live-action video, everything in an animated video is selected for a specific purpose. The animated characters can reflect community demographics, and new transit routes can be traversed without waiting for the next sunny day for filming.
Universal spread. A two-minute video is easy to share on social media, email, or even in a text message. And while a seamless whole, you can plan to make sure there are good-looking clips, still images and GIFs that encourage people to tell others about the video and share the campaign far beyond the initial audience.

Drawn Together

Modern technology plus the visual power of animation makes creating a short video a worthwhile investment for public engagement campaigns. Pairing detailed information with colorful graphics in a two-minute video keeps audiences—and outreach teams—focused on the essential message. When a community presentation is on the docket, animation can open a meeting with a smile and an overview, anticipate and answer questions and set a positive tone for reviewing even the most complex projects.

Let’s get to work, give us a call and schedule a meeting today.

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