If we told you that the earth is heating up at an alarming rate, would you care? The uncomfortable truth is, that most people wouldn't. After all, we've spent the last few years passively consuming and scrolling by some of the worst climate change statistics to date.
Here's an even more uncomfortable truth: it's not our fault. Climate awareness campaigns have unfortunately become white noise. A lot of us have become either numb or disbelieving – not because we don't care, but rather because the stakes feel insurmountable at this point.
Well, they aren't.
And we can still make things right, with the right approach.
This is where using animation for climate awareness steps in as a dynamo for breaking through the noise – and making a lasting impact.
Climate change weaves together intricate strands of science, politics, and economics. This is fine for your highly educated sustainability professional, however, what's crystal clear to them might not be so obvious to the casual observer.
High-quality animation videos take those elaborate concepts and transform them into easily digestible chunks of wisdom. Whether you're a seasoned scholar or just a child who's curious about the world, animation ensures everyone gets the message loud and clear.
Who needs words to weave a tale or elicit powerful emotions in others? Certainly not humans. Case in point:
Below is the award-winning claymation short film Soft Rain. It's 7 minutes long, but you can get away with playing for just a few seconds
Notice how it isn't in English. Nor Russian. Nor Chinese. Not a single word is uttered. And yet you understand everything, with a bit of room for interpretation as you see fit.
Because non-verbal language is global.
Therefore, a global yet complicated concept – such as climate change – becomes that much more accessible. More engaging. More shareable.
However, it isn't enough for a story to be universally comprehensive. It needs to be immersive as well, especially if the content is considered "boring." No matter how much we love our planet, not everyone wants to sit through an hour-long documentary on why we’re all doomed.
So, how can we make our content engaging? Let's see...
In his book How Stories Change the Brain, American neuroscientist and author Paul J. Zak shares that great stories can create empathy in readers (or, in our case, viewers) thanks to the secretion of oxytocin. It's also known as the "bonding hormone". Ideally, these stories should be character-driven and contain emotional content for better results.
(Emotional doesn’t necessarily mean “sad”, by the way!)
For example, take a look at the following animated explainer video we created for the team of Digitising Social Care. It provides an illustrated, simplified explanation of how social workers can save time with digital records.
Notice how it isn't only clearly narrated, but how the animation is fully in sync with every word spoken. This synergy brings every word to life, ensuring that viewers not only understand but internalise the message as they watch the video.
We talk about this in a lot more detail in our article titled 6 Remarkable Benefits of Animated Videos Everyone Overlooks. But here's an overview:
Repurposing means rehashing existing content into new formats to amplify your impact. It's also one of the most budget-friendly and time-saving content strategies you can apply to your organisation. This is particularly true if animated videos serve as the cornerstone of your approach.
That’s because animation gives you hundreds of pieces of related content, such as images and clips. With these assets in hand, you can extend the reach and power of your video, ensuring a lasting impression that connects and stays with your audience.
This is why we never let our clients walk away with just a video. They also get a bonus folder with...
Why start from scratch when you can make the most out of what you already have?
And it shouldn't be. Not with the way things are escalating.
However, people will only change once they realise we've got a nearly incurable issue going on.
Which begs a few questions:
How do we illustrate a convoluted concept in a universally graspable way?
How do we make viewers see through their screens?
And most importantly, how do we encourage them to act?
Using animation for climate awareness campaigns could be the solution you need. If you're looking for videos that can transform easily ignorable topics into scroll-stopping stories…let’s chat.
