There are a lot of companies beginning to harness the power of video in their marketing. Explainer videos, in particular, are topping the list of most useful marketing assets for most companies, regardless of the products or services that they offer. As the internet is becoming increasingly saturated with videos, however, we decided it would be a useful exercise to deconstruct some of the most successful videos on the market and work out what they’re doing right and what we could learn from them. 

So, in no particular order, here are some of the most successful explainer videos to have graced our screens, why they work, and things that they could have done slightly better.

 

Panarama9

Kicking us off is this video from Panarama9. A company selling something as complex, and, for the most part, as uninteresting as IT solutions, is destined to have trouble making their videos fun. However, Panarama9 have done the unthinkable; not only is this video seriously entertaining, nostalgic, and funny but it also conveys a lot of information! If, come the end of the video, you can say exactly what the service/product a company provides is, having previously never heard of them, that video is a success. Check out the video below:

Pros

This video is genuinely informative whilst simultaneously being humorous and nostalgia-inducing – enough to make it easy to forget that you’re watching a video attempting to sell to you! The call to action at the end is also particularly clear and well thought out.

Cons

Length: At close to 3 minutes, this video is almost triple the length we aim for when making our explainer videos. With ever-shortening attention spans becoming an issue for content creators, this could certainly be seen as a little too long. That said, this video does a great job of keeping the viewer engaged throughout.

 

Prescribe Wellness 

On the opposing end of the time spectrum is this video for a service called Prescribe Wellness. A beautifully animated and designed piece, the delicate visuals of this animation pair well with the subject matter and the soft and sensitive voice-over completes the video perfectly. The real beauty in this animation is that it conveys all the necessary information in just 30 seconds. 

 

 

Pros   

A really stunning animation, everything has been thoroughly thought out, to help get across the message. The length is also very impressive; a video as short as this would do well on any platform, including social media.

Cons

That said, the slower pace and tone of the video might make it a little harder to stand out amongst the flashier, more in-your-face content that social media is becoming flooded with. A slightly punchier start might make people more inclined to sit up and take notice.

 

Chipotle 

This video does a fantastic job of creating an emotional connection with the viewer, telling a story and captivating the audience without a word being spoken. The combination of the simple, stop-motion-esque animation and Willie Nelson’s uplifting Coldplay cover really help to set the tone of this video. It’s also worth noting that despite this being a Chipotle advert, they don’t scream and shout Chipotle, instead they tell their story and subtly bring up the logo at the very end. 

 

 

Pros

This video tells a story brilliantly without a single spoken word, not an easy task to do. The style draws you in and the music perfectly complements the visuals, almost to the extent that it becomes the star of the show. 

Cons

Once again, length is a bit of an issue with this video. That said it was most likely intended for consumption on TV, rather than online. Television commercials are often longer than their internet counterparts as distractions are fewer when watching a show on the TV. 

 

Square

The only video in our blog to not solely consist of animation. This is a really quick, well-created explainer video. You immediately know what it’s selling, how it works, and the benefits of the product all within a short, entertaining 30 seconds. A snappy voice-over, bold, bright, on-brand colours and a witty script make for a really compelling, well-executed video. As the narrator says ‘let’s make this fast’, and they certainly do that. 

 

 

Pros

Fast and to the point, no time wasted, and even if it were a little longer, it’s still entertaining enough to retain attention throughout.

Cons

As a TV commercial, the call to action is a little vague, for an online explainer video, we would recommend a more specific, clear call to action.

 

Spotify

This video is a little old but it’s certainly still a fantastic example of how explainer videos should be made. Fun, frantic, and informative; this explainer ticks all of the boxes. By making a bold claim right at the beginning of the video, ‘it will change how you enjoy music’, your attention is grabbed and the combination of fast-paced, interesting visuals and the pounding drums keep you engaged throughout. The length is perfect and the colours and style really help to strengthen the Spotify brand. The lack of narration is also an interesting choice that doesn’t affect the quality or readability of the video at all. 

 

 

Pros

Extremely fun and fast-paced, this video ticks all of the boxes that I look for in an explainer video. By the end of it, you know what Spotify does, what their intentions are and why you should be purchasing it.

Cons

The only negative that I can really find is the lack of a bold call to action at the end of the video. That said, it’s interesting enough to pique the viewer's interest to the point that they’re likely to go online and, at the very least, have a quick google of what Spotify is. It’s also worth noting that this video came out in 2011, long before Spotify was the established piece of software that everyone knows and loves today. 

 

So, those are 5 of the most successful explainer videos the internet has to offer. All of the above proves the power of informative, attention-grabbing video and the way in which it can help companies marketing efforts exponentially.

If you feel as though you’re ready to unleash the potential of explainer videos for your company, why not download our free, video planning sheet? It’s a fantastic resource designed by Klood to help you thoroughly plan out your next video project. Alternatively, if you know exactly what your next video is going to be, or have more questions about how we work and what we do, feel free to get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.