TAPPING into ANIMATION

Glober, Clico’s eye-catching mascot, the stick figure with a laptop, appears later with a broad grin riding a wave. And in Guardian General’s slick Jack and Jill ad, the tumble down the hill has definitely caught your attention.

With snazzy computer graphics and lifelike characters, local companies are riding the animation wave and elbowing each other for market space as they try to capitalise on this growing trend.

From manufacturing to insurance, companies are rolling out advertisements where animated characters jump out at you. Companies like Vemco Ltd, manufacturers of Swiss peanut butter, Kiss Baking Company, Colonial Life Insurance Company (Clico) and Guardian General are moving away from the tried and tested modes of advertising and are finally entering this animated arena.

Be it the growing popularity of animation in general or the benefits of saving time and money, businesses are realising that the glittering, colourful world of animation is now surpassing ads with actors in its ability to appeal to and attract the masses.

The result is television viewers with advertisements that are enhanced by lively characters and digital artistry.

Analysts say it’s all part of luring customers into their orbit, and keeping them locked in. Foreign companies like Mr Clean, Honda, 7-UP, have been successfully using animation for years.

It has been so successful, in fact, that when foreign airline, United Airlines was nearing bankruptcy, the company realised the benefits of using animated ads as a means of re-connecting with their fliers and boosting sales, despite the fact that these new ads could potentially cost the company precious time and money at such a critical stage.

While animation might have gripped the global advertising industry, it is a fairly recent concept to TT, it was pointed out, noting that advancements in local technology have been partially responsible for companies being able to produce these new animated advertisements.

Previously, ads were restrained; limited by both technology and affordability.

Now, they are more creative and sophisticated, using imaginative appeal to reach target audiences.

Marvin Imamshah, Creative Director, McCann Erickson, is of the view that the growing trend of animated advertisements is directly linked to the increasing popularity of video games, cartoons and animated movies.

He went on to note that this love of animation has also now gone beyond only children to include young adults.

He noted that producing such ads allows room for a company to "think outside the box" and to do "ridiculous things" that have a better chance of appealing to viewers through artistry, originality and imaginative allure.

Other companies share similar sentiments.

Asked why Kiss chose the digital route for their ads, Rene De Gannes, Marketing Manager, explained that his company saw animation as a new tool to entice its target audience: children under ten.

The goal is to get them locked into Kiss’ world, where the company’s snack cakes reign supreme and where the "Monster Creme" truck is the vehicle in which to do so .

Swiss brand manager, Marc Mouttet, said the motivation for the company’s Safari ad, which features animated characters — an elephant, squirrel, bear and monkey, was also done with children and adolescents in mind whom he described as the company’s target groups.

Wynell Bhagwansingh, Clico’s Marketing Manager, said animation gave them a chance to have control over the final result as well as the time and energy that went into it.

She said, "Though more intricate to produce, animated advertisements are more controlled. Less time is spent in getting persons to do the ad and also time for rehearsals is no longer a factor to consider. You can achieve so much more now with the new software available."

She noted that as a fairly new technique in advertising in Trinidad, animation would appeal to different market segments. "People," she said, "are more open to new ways of doing things and with the burst of technology everywhere, we believe the market is ready for something different than the traditional way of advertising."

Such technology will allow companies to use animation as part of their new marketing strategy.

Clico, she added, does not see animation as being a totally new mode of advertising, noting that the trend will grow as the industry becomes more digitally sophisticated.

Still, animation is not for everyone and in some cases might do more harm then good. McCann Erickson Imam-shah warned that while animation can enhance a company’s message, it is imperative that companies ensure that the finished product is not "cheap and cheesy."

Marketing analyst and Business Day columnist Vicky Boodram said while advertising animation seemed to be gaining popularity and had the potential to be money-spinners, this road was not for every company.

She stressed that the success from an advertisement that used animation depended strongly on the product a company was trying to sell.

Otherwise, "the ad would be no better than ads with actors in its lack of depth and meaning," she warned.