The need for distinguishable motion design far exceeds basic functionality: Motion is inherently emotional. It enables a brand to communicate to audiences with a unique style and personality that is emblematic of its brand position. Today, it’s not just entertainment brands that need motion design—every company needs the ability to engage, excite and entertain audiences across all the platforms where video thrives. With so many brands, from Accenture to Zoom, now creating animation and incorporating motion graphics into social posts, the question is how to draw the eye in a way that ties all your brand elements together.
Entertainment brands may have written the book, but what are the translatable rules that any brand can lift from its pages?
Understand your brand essence
To create a cohesive brand experience that resonates with your intended audience, you need to know your brand’s personality, values and target audience inside out. This foundational brand strategy inspires the principles and attributes that can be translated into motion. For example, Sesame Workshop’s approach to education and philanthropy is all about putting children on a positive path. To visually bring that promise to life, the nonprofit’s new motion identity is anchored by an ecosystem of streets and intersections that expand the brand’s visual vernacular.
Think beyond logos
While animated logos are a crucial aspect of a motion identity, we all know there is so much more to a brand design than its logo. A strong, enduring brand needs a flexible identity that can extend into motion on every screen. What are those touch points that matter most—websites, social and video platforms, retail environments, events? Each is an opportunity to create a more meaningful interaction with new and prospective customers. Consider how brand elements such as animated typography, iconography, illustrations or video can combine to underscore the larger brand story. A landscape audit of your brand’s touch points alongside other leaders across the cultural landscape can provide immediate insight into where a motion identity will provide a more cohesive and exciting brand experience.
Create clear guidelines
While off-the-shelf templates are excellent for budding video creators, purpose-built animation toolkits and motion identity guidelines—rules and specifications around position, scale, rotation, easing, depth and layering—are necessities for established brands. These toolkits are designed to connect a brand’s strategy to an ownable style of motion design that differentiates and elevates the brand experience. This supports more emotional brand storytelling and empowers internal teams to implement motion across platforms.
Consistency is key
Maintaining consistency across all motion elements establishes a unified brand identity. This calls for congruous use of color schemes, typography and visual style to ensure a brand is recognizable and travels well across digital platforms. I’m a particular fan of DixonBaxi’s on-screen graphics work for the Premier League—it transfers seamlessly from TV broadcasts to match day marketing, to EA Sports’ FIFA video game.
