What makes a really captivating, animated explainer video? Which artistic and story techniques make it hard to look away? We’ve asked our specialist producers to track down the best examples so we can show you. Grab a cuppa and start watching. You might even learn something…

(We’ve also listed our fav explainer videos, if you’re interested in more examples with live-action content too.)

Got an idea you’d like to see in the world? Chat with Sian, our Head of Video.

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Toyota’s Electrification Strategy

Rich illustrations elevate this video to a work of art. It ignites the viewer’s imagination, building a utopian world for the product to exist in.

Can we create the perfect farm? Ted-ED

Watching this video feels less like being educated, and more like flipping through a beautiful storybook. It skilfully holds the attention through playful illustration techniques and vibrant textures.

Thousand Currents

We’re big fans of the way illo studios blend illustration with simple vector graphics. In this video they’ve made brilliant use of a pattern as a recurring element which makes it exciting and playful.

Inspire Clean Energy

Frame-by-frame animation seems like a lost art lately – which makes its presence in an explainer video a delightful surprise. Creating characters like these goes a long way in connecting with the audience.

Amazon Coins

UI explainers can be every bit as colourful, dynamic and fun as videos on sexier subjects – and this video proves it. As well as making the product easy to understand.

Lyft

We simply couldn’t tear our eyes away from this one. Most likely because it’s not a sales pitch; it’s a personal and captivating story. Lyft is thinking about us each as individuals, and it makes this a gorgeously illustrated video you can’t stop watching.

What Causes Hallucinations: Ted-ED

Bright colours, hilarious characters and gorgeous movement; you can tell the animators just had fun creating this one. And we love work that’s fun… and educational.

Women in Cabinets

Hard-hitting messages can be bold, colourful and capture the attention. Here, the illustrative style and powerful imagery really bring that home.

AZA

Illustration can do so much to elevate a video. Even with a minimal colour palette, the thoughtful illustrations make this video feel rich.

Bitcoin Blockchain

Elegant, smooth and clean. This is an excellent example of how to simply explain a complex concept like the blockchain.

Mobike

Even though the design makes use of a limited colour palette, the world created in this video is rich and vibrant, really pulling you in as a viewer.

Flow Thinking

This is already an inspiring story: a thank you letter from the daughter of one of the men who put Apollo 11’s crew on the moon. The warmth of her words is given more depth and momentum through layers of different textures with stylistic animation.

The School of Life – ‘How to Soothe Ourselves and Others’

This film is about soothing – and that’s exactly what it does. Alain de Botton’s bedtime story voice meets silky-smooth animation to create a blissfully meditative vibe.

Coke Quadgen

An easy-to-understand and informative video with a fun visual style.

Stella: Hops

Clever use of live action switching into animation and back again to reinforce their message. It makes a big brand feel artisanal.

Eatruscan – Cbd

A simple, abstract and friendly explainer film.

Freighty

Short and to the point explainer. It uses a simple colour palette and animations that are simple, clear and polished.

McDonalds Crew Stories

A household brand telling stories about the people behind the burgers. It uses cool visuals to tell stories of moments between customers and staff.

Sesame Street ‘The Largest Waterslide’

https://vimeo.com/203848871

Sesame Street is the home of stories with a strong message – here, about the power of friendship over fear. The bold, simple colours and straightforward animation still feel layered and packed with movement and imagination.

David Droga – Making Advertising Human

The scrapbook style of this video, with its torn paper and hand-drawn touches, is highly personal. Coupled with the founder’s own voiceover and a lively mix of music and sound effects, the result sticks in the mind long after it’s over.

GE: An Apollo 11 Story

This is already an inspiring story: a thank you letter from the daughter of one of the men who put Apollo 11’s crew on the moon. The warmth of her words is given more depth and momentum through layers of different textures with stylistic animation.

Feeling inspired? Drop us a line and let’s bring your vision to life.

Sian Evans Screen 3

Written by Sian Evans, Head of Video at Definition.