Types of animation: which animation style suits your story?

Here's how to quickly choose the right animation style

Choose a style based on purpose, complexity and context. Use this checklist:

• Purpose: inform, persuade, instruct or inspire?
• Complexity: abstract concept, product with details, or process steps?
• Target audience and channels: website, social, trade show, sales, onboarding or training?
• Pace and tone of voice: playful, businesslike, premium or technical?
• Source material: is there CAD, sketches, data, fire assets or nothing?
• Time and budget: quick production or maximum wow factor and detail?

1. Technical animation

Technical animations make complex products, installations, and processes visually understandable for non-technical and technical audiences. For example, you can show internal mechanisms, flows, or safety scenarios that are difficult to capture on video. CAD or STEP files speed up the construction process and increase accuracy.

This style works great for product training, maintenance instructions, safety, R&D and sales support. By eliminating noise and showing exactly what matters, you reduce chances of error and speed up decision-making.

Examples of a technical animation:

2. 2D animation

2D animation is versatile, recognizable, and ideal for making abstract stories quickly understandable. From sleek motion graphics to hand-drawn illustrations, you can seamlessly tailor the style to your corporate identity. Thanks to flat shapes, icons, and typography, information is conveyed in a compact and rhythmic way, ideal for campaigns, social content, onboarding, and apps.

Opt for 2D when your core message and brand identity are central and you are looking for a good balance between impact, lead time and budget. Think of a product intro with iconic visualizations, a step-by-step plan for service activation or an HR video that explains policy. With smart transitions, infographics and clear voice-over, you build recognition quickly and hold attention.

Examples of a 2D animation

3. 3D animation

3D animation provides depth, realism, and complete control over the camera, lighting, and materials. You can show products from all angles, zoom in on internal components, or simulate processes and environments that cannot be filmed in real life. 3D is perfect for product demonstrations, high-tech solutions, construction and industry, or when you are looking for a premium look. If you want to highlight specific features and functions of a product, choose a product animation.

If you have CAD models or technical drawings, speed up production and increase accuracy. Choose 3D when detail and persuasiveness are decisive, such as for a pitch, trade show or product launch. Tip: isometric 2.5D combines 3D look with 2D efficiency and is suitable when you want depth, but with shorter turnaround time.

Examples of a 3D animation

4. Explanatory Animation

An explanatory animation, or explanimation, translates complex information into a clear story with a logical structure: problem, solution, how it works, and call to action. This style often combines 2D motion graphics with icons, illustrations, and voice-over. Ideal for onboarding, new services, internal processes, or behavioral change.

Choose an explainer animation when your core message needs clarification and you want quick support. By bringing together scenarios, metaphors and infographics, your target audience will understand within a minute what it's all about and what the next step is.

Examples of an explainer animation

5. Corporate animation

‍Thename says it all, a business animation is meant for brief, understandable and clear portrayal of your organization. Thus, a corporate animation is the visual business card for your company. It contains distinctive illustrations, and this type of animation again comes out well on your website.

Advantages of a corporate animation are the high degree of recognizability by adding characteristic elements of your company (including corporate identity and story). Furthermore, an animation (unlike video) makes everything even more concrete because everything can be depicted. ‍

Examples of a corporate animation