Advantageous advertisements devised in a cartoonish style, showcasing 25 smart ways for companies to market their products!
If you're looking to create a memorable video that's sure to leave a lasting impression on your viewers and potentially bring in a pile of customers for your business, then cartoon-style ads are the way to go!
Cartoon art is not only fun and engaging, but it's also an excellent means of delivering important information in an effective and creative manner. But it's crucial to get it right!
So how can you tell if you're on the right path when crafting your own animated piece? I've compiled a list of 25 amazing cartoon ads to give you an idea of what makes them so effective. Let's dive right in!
What's a cartoon ad?
As the name suggests, this style utilizes cartoon characters to promote a company's products or services through short commercial videos. The use of cartoons for advertising has been around for quite some time now, with the first advertisements appearing in newspapers and using illustrated characters to attract consumers.
Unlike its ancestors, today's cartoon ads make use of colorful, vibrant backgrounds and exaggerated characters to capture the audience's attention and create a positive impression. Cartoon ads are highly engaging, using a blend of humor, creativity, and relatability to connect with viewers.
The main advantage of cartoons is their ability to be relatable. Sometimes it's easier to connect with an animated character than a real person, especially when, for years, advertisements featured actors who may not have accurately represented the public. A character can express emotions, hopes, and challenges more easily, making it much more appealing to viewers.
This, combined with the fact that, in animation, everything can convey feelings, from the shape and design of the background to the color palette of the film itself, makes cartoons for advertisements a great format for leaving a profound impact on your viewers.
Why invest in a cartoon ad?
Before we delve into the examples, let me give you an overview of why the cartoon art style can be genuinely beneficial for your business:
- Cost-effectiveness: While the final price will depend on your budget, animated pieces tend to be more affordable than live-action, as you don't need actors, sets, or expensive camera and lighting equipment.
- Customization: The various cartoon styles available give you a near-endless list of creative and narrative possibilities. The limitations imposed by real life disappear when you opt for animation, allowing you to fully tailor your piece to match your audience's preferences.
- Brand Identity: Your brand's signature colors, fonts, and characters can be incorporated into your cartoon for advertising to create a cohesive look that aligns with your other assets. For example, the doughnut in our logo appears at the end of our company's animated videos to reinforce our branding.
- Appeal: Let's be honest here, people of all ages love animation! In fact, we're seeing more and more TV shows made in the cartoon art style but aimed at adults nowadays, and it's not difficult to understand why. Animation is highly engaging, fun, and can easily captivate viewers, making it the perfect medium for your ads!
Top 25 Cartoon Ads
Without further ado, let's jump straight into the top 25 animated ads that are sure to inspire your next piece!
1. Amazon Coins - Advertising Cartoon by Yum Yum Videos
Remember when I said cartoons are a great tool for explaining how a product works? Well, I wasn't kidding!
This Amazon Coins advertising cartoon, created by us at Yum Yum Videos, helps explain a new feature of the mega-corporation's online sales strategy. Companies within the SaaS industry often find it challenging to show the benefits of their services to potential customers since they don't have a tangible product to display.
Here, we incorporated imagery of the platform's layout to make it easier for users to understand the service. But to avoid boring them out with static images, we included motion graphics effects and delightful animation like the coin jumping around the entire screen.
Oh, and did you notice how we switched from a cell phone to a computer? That's because Amazon Coins can be used on different devices. And that's the beauty of cartoons for advertising: you can leave subtle traits that demonstrate how your service or product works, without the need for verbose explanations.
2. Tortilla Land - Cartoon Style Ad by Yum Yum Videos
I apologize in advance for the catchy jingle that's about to be stuck in your head!
This ad has everything needed to become a hit: adorable characters, catchy music, and a memorable slogan - five simple ingredients for simply healthier tortillas. People who come across this ad instantly know what makes Tortilla Land's tortillas better than the rest and where they can find them, in just one minute! Pretty effective, right?
3. Eat today, feed tomorrow - Chobani
I must admit, I'm a sucker for beautifully animated videos like this one. It reminds me of the calm and relaxing atmosphere of Studio Ghibli movies.
This example is powerful because of its calming vibes, which help us feel at ease while watching it. It's no secret that evoking positive emotions in your viewers is a foolproof formula for a successful ad. But while achieving such an atmosphere might be difficult with live-action pieces, animation makes it a breeze!
4. Slack vs Email - Slack
Representing Slack's value proposition wouldn't be easy without the assistance of cartoons. That pile of unread emails made ME feel overwhelmed, and they're not even real!
A cartoon ad is excellent for making your message more relatable, even when trying to convey emotions or situations that aren't easily transmitted through words. Animation is an ideal choice if your business is related to the digital world or a similar 'intangible' industry, as you can easily show the advantages of working with your business instead of telling your audience.
5. Get House Loans - Bankwest
If a cartoon can build a bond with viewers, why not maximize its potential with a cheery rhyme? Combining cute 3D cartoon characters with a catchy voiceover, this Bankwest ad helps convey the essential aspect of their home loan services: the fact that they allow you to finally have a house to call your own.
When it comes to ads for banking or healthcare companies, inspiring your viewers is key. Here, Bankwest manages to achieve it by depicting various people with different lifestyles, but all enjoying their own unique homes.
6. Rick & Morty + Adidas X Speedportal - Adidas
If you think a full original animated ad will be a success, why not collaborate with an already existing cartoon?
Here, Adidas makes a hilarious collaboration with Rick & Morty, allowing them to take advantage of the benefits of this genre, such as memorable characters and funny scenes that leave a lasting impression, without having to plan their video from scratch. They still remember to showcase their new shoe's benefits by adding professional athletes as supporting characters in the Rick & Morty animation style.
The lesson: the adidas X boost will make you play like a pro.
7. mPOS Solutions - American Express
When it comes to tackling abstract concepts and ideas, it's easy to get lost when trying to digest a lot of information in a short time. That's why using animation for your ad can help clarify your message more effectively and ensure viewers completely understand it!
This video is particularly effective at delivering American Express's message for two reasons. First, it addresses its target audience directly, addressing their specific needs. Secondly, it also clear a comprehensive explanation of the different solutions American Express offers.
The cartoon style is key here to effectively illustrate the different solutions American Express provides.
8. Calm The Chaos - Imodium
Yes, I know this topic can be a bit uncomfortable, but sometimes it's necessary to tackle even the most taboo topics in advertising. And it can be extremely difficult to do so tactfully and seriously, especially when dealing with... well, bodily functions.
Luckily, appropriately depicting such sensitive topics becomes ten times easier when using a cartoon art style to represent them.
9. MedVector - Cartoon Style Ad by Yum Yum Videos
Sometimes, the nature of your work requires you to share a significant amount of complex information with your audience. Well, the whiteboard cartoon art style is perfect for such cases!
This particular style grabs your attention right from the start, bringing a piece to life before your eyes, and making it easy for viewers to follow along during the thorough explanation. In your case, incorporating an animated whiteboard into your cartoon ad can help establish your brand as a field authority since you'll be sharing your industry knowledge with your audience like a teacher tutoring a student.
10. Superhero - Red Bull
By now, who hasn't seen one of Red Bull's iconic cartoon ads? Well, that's no coincidence. Red Bull has consistently used the cartoon art style for its commercials and stuck with a consistent theme, which has allowed the ads to become truly iconic.
11. Build Your Credit - Self
I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I learned from this ad.
The script is straightforward and goes straight to the point, which is why the plain 2D cartoon art style used here complements it perfectly.
If you're new to the world of video ads, starting with a similar piece can help you get started and learn what works and what doesn't for your brand.
12. Green Initiatives - Acer
If you want to showcase your company's values and mission to your audience, why not do so with a charming cartoon ad?
In the case of Acer, opting for animation enabled them to emphasize their eco-friendly message and reinforce their branding by using green for the major color accents in the video – a smart move!
13. API for Business - Michelin
When it comes to presenting complex software solutions, it can be challenging to share everything in a short commercial without boring the audience to death.
Fortunately, animation makes it possible to clearly present an extensive range of information without overwhelming the viewer.
14. Live Music for Weddings - Silver Arrow Band
If you want your ad to stick in viewers' minds for a long time, you must include an emotionally engaging scenario they can identify with.
The beginning of this cartoon ad presents the target audience with a scenario they can easily identify with in order to hook the viewer right in. Additionally, Silver Arrow Band also summarizes the perks of working with them, so viewers know from the very beginning if the business is a good fit for their needs.
15. Family Problems - Childline
As I mentioned earlier, the cartoon art style is ideal for sensitive topics. This is particularly true when your ad is targeted at children, and you need something they'll want to engage with.
Representing family problems in a respectful way while still catching the attention of the target audience is a challenge, to say the least. However, using an advertising cartoon makes it possible to depict scenarios that children in vulnerable situations can identify with, without triggering negative emotions or harmful memories.
16. Adulting Anthem - Heinz
If you want to make an ad that taps into the frustrations and joys of everyday adult life, why not make it hilarious as well?
This ad's script is funny and addresses the struggles of adulthood in a way that most people can relate to, making it impossible to resist. And who wouldn't want to have a Heinz ketchup bottle come save the day?
17. 2X Cold Brews - Madrinas Coffee
Who says an advertising cartoon needs to be long to be effective? This ad from Madrinas Coffee shows that all you need is half a minute to make a lasting impression.
Sometimes, the best approach is to focus on one key aspect of your product, like the extra energy provided by its new coffee blend, and represent it in a unique and amusing way. All this done within just half a minute!
18. Pretiis - Cartoon for Advertising by Yum Yum Videos
This cartoon ad provides a great example of how humor can be used to grab the viewer's attention and keep them engaged throughout the video.
19. Language Learning is Hard - Duolingo
This ad is a terrific example of how a catchy tune can help a video go viral.
The animated characters featured in this Duolingo ad are often seen during language lessons, making the piece even more engaging. The ad's catchy tune helped it gain over 8 million YouTube views – talk about going viral!
20. Security Tech Forum - Samsung
If you're looking for an affordable and effective way to promote your event, an advertising cartoon might be the way to go. This half-minute security tech forum ad by Samsung is a prime example.
21. Many, Many Thank You's - Airbnb
Storytelling can be a powerful tool in advertising, and this Airbnb cartoon ad provides a great example of how it can be used to captivate an audience.
22. Chinese New Year Magic - Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is no stranger to animation, and this cartoon ad is a lovely example of how a striking visual style can make a video stand out.
23. Andes Origen - Cartoon for Advertising
Animated ads don't always need a voiceover to be effective. Sometimes, the visuals alone can convey the message clearly.
With a clever use of color and typography, this Spanish-language ad effectively communicates the joy of drinking a beer after work with friends. And who can resist a cold beer on a hot day?
24. FIFA Women's World Cup - Cartoon for Advertising
When it comes to supporting sports events, animation is a great tool, as it allows you to capture the energy on the pitch and visually communicate the excitement.
25. Why does Starbucks blend coffee? - Advertising Cartoon
Animation is particularly valuable for explaining abstract products, processes, or ideas that are difficult to visualize. This Starbucks ad provides a great example of how animation can be used to break down complex information and make it accessible for a wide range of audiences, regardless of their background or expertise.
When considering different lifestyle options, fashion and beauty, food and drink, home and garden, and entertainment can all be components to focus on.
Integrating animation into your general news reporting can help deliver information in an engaging and memorable way.
For example, a news cartoon about a new restaurant's opening could showcase the restaurant's ambiance, menu, and unique selling points, making it easy for viewers to visualize and understand the report.
