Whether you’re a new startup looking for investors, a small business introducing a new product, or a large corporation with a new initiative you want to share with the world, a good explainer video gives you a sharable, engaging marketing tool.

Studies show that animated explainer videos work, but how do you know which style of video is right for your subject matter and audience? There are many ways to present your idea, but for us, it basically breaks down into two categories: The character-driven video and the conceptual video. Of course, videos can and often do employ a combination of the two, but for the sake of understanding it’s helpful to consider the two approaches separately.

Character-driven Explainer Video

If you’re looking for a personal, emotional connection that your audience can relate to, we recommend the character-driven video, like this outreach video we created for Roca. Usually these concepts focus on a person’s journey or success story.

Conceptual Explainer Video

If you’re presenting an abstract idea, we recommend a more conceptual approach that imparts the big picture. Videos like the one below, which we created with Harvard Business Publishing for Insight, use abstract imagery to convey large-scale technology industry trends.

If you’re still not sure which kind of explainer video is right for you, consider these key questions to help you decide:

• Who is your target audience and which style will they respond to best?
• Which style complements your brand the most?
• What do you hope to achieve with your video?

If you want help answering these questions and more, get in touch. We’d love to discuss your communication challenge and help you find the best approach.

These days, teachers are increasingly incorporating educational videos into their classrooms. Our own free library of educational videos is a testament to that, as it’s viewed thousands of times of month by students, teachers, and parents around the world. According to the National Teacher Training Institute, students show improved memorization, retain more information and are more enthusiastic about learning when educational videos are combined with a thoughtful lesson plan.

In a previous blog post, we shared our top five educational video websites. Those great sites, Khan Academy, Ted Ed, TeacherTube, WatchKnowLearn, and Brain Pop all continue to impress.

Now, we’re also shining a light on a new batch of excellent educational video websites for teachers, students, and parents. And — wait for it — they’re FREE!

PBS LearningMedia

The trusted PBS LearningMedia site is an excellent resource for any classroom. Their vast video collection offers access to educational mainstays from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood to recent hits like the animated math series Peg + Cat, and so much more.

From the site:

PBS LearningMedia is THE destination for high-quality, trusted digital content and solutions that inspire students and transform learning. Developed in partnership with the WGBH Educational Foundation and supported by public media stations nationwide, PBS LearningMedia engages educators and learners at all levels with content from America’s #1 Educational Media Brand.

Amazon Inspire

The Inspire website is set up much like the original Amazon shopping site; you search by grade and content for downloadable lesson plans and videos. The site is still in the beta stage, but if Amazon can streamline the availability of educational videos and learning materials like they did the ordering of everyday items, this could be something special.

From the site:

Amazon Inspire is a service for the search, discovery and distribution of digital educational resources. Supporting the company’s commitment to making the connected classroom a reality, Amazon Inspire provides educators—regardless of funding or location—access to digital teaching resources with rich features such as search, discovery and peer reviews.

Crash Course For Kids

Geared directly towards students, but helpful for teachers, this site presents fun and informative science-based educational videos. Students will enjoy host Sabrina and the colorful animation.

From the site:

Crash Course For Kids, a bi-weekly show from the producers of Crash Course is all about grade school science. We’ll look at Earth, Habitats, Space, Chemical Reactions, Engineering, and much, much more with host Sabrina Cruz. So, join us every Tuesday and Thursday for new uploads.

The Kid Should See This

A fun site that covers many topics curated by a mom/producer and her 7 and 9 year olds. This site showcases a ton of educational videos that, while not specifically designed for kids, are still accessible and safe for them.

From the site:

The Kid Should See This connects busy teachers and parents to a growing library of smart, short, & super-cool, “not-made-for-kids, but perfect for them” videos that can be watched in the classroom or together at home. Enjoy 8-12 new vids each week, and search 3,200+ videos in the archives.

PBS Digital Studios

PBS Digital Studios offers teachers and students fresh, original, educational videos that still maintain the teaching standards of public broadcasting.

From the site:

PBS Digital Studios PBS has long brought you original, thought-provoking programming. With PBS Digital Studios, we take that same mission and apply it to the Internet age. Working with creators from across the web, our network of short-form video series will showcase the best of the Internet while also celebrating the best parts of public television.

SciShow Kids

Another fun science channel that offers educational videos on everything from “Why do we have spit?” to “What is a meteor shower?” This site is ideal for teachers introducing a new scientific topic to their classes.

From the site:

SciShow Kids explores all those curious topics that make us ask “why?” Every Tuesday and Thursday, Jessi and her robot rat Squeaks answer your questions and explain fun, complex science concepts for young, curious minds. Whether conducting experiments, researching new questions, or talking with experts, there’s always something new to discover with SciShow Kids, no matter what your age!

YouTube EDU

YouTube EDU was generated automatically by their video discovery system based on the popularity of the educational videos, so students should enjoy this site as much as teachers. It’s featured channels include #PrimaryAndSecondaryEducation, #University and #LifeLongLearning, something for everyone.  

YouTube EDU Whether you’re doing research for a project, need help with homework, or just want to learn something new, YouTube EDU features some of our most popular educational videos across YouTube. 

YouTube For Teachers

Similar toYouTube EDU, this teacher-focused channel offers hundreds of already curated playlists, which will save you hours of research time. The channel features more than 700K educational videos created by some of the leading experts and organization, such as PBS, TEDEd, and Khan Academy.

From the site:

YouTube For Teachers was created to help teachers leverage video to educate, engage and inspire their students. Here you will find tips and tricks for bringing YouTube into the classroom, as well as over 400 video playlists curated by CUE and aligned with the Common Core.

iTunesU

iTunes U gives you access to many course materials, books and educational videos directly on your iPhone or iPad. One setback is that you need to be able to download the app with said iPhone or iPad, which not every classroom has access to.

From the site:

iTunes U provides everything an instructor needs to bring the classroom together with apps, your own materials, collect and grade assignments from students, start class discussions or talk with students one-on-one to answer questions and provide feedback. iTunes U also allows anyone with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to learn from a large collection of free education content via public courses from leading schools, universities, museums, and cultural institutions.

While Planet Nutshell took another trip around our solar system we’ve been hard at work on some incredible new animation work. Many clients returned with projects, but there were some fascinating new clients and projects, as well. Without further ado, let’s get take a look at some highlights!

Raikes Foundation

We teamed up with the Raikes Foundation to help promote a learning environment where all children can thrive regardless of their sex, race, or family income level. Check out our case study for this project. 

Roca Young Mothers

Roca came back to us this year for one of our best animation projects ever, in my humble opinion! This one tells the story of Isabela, just one of the 18- to 24-year-olds in Roca’s Young Mothers program. Watch the video to see how Roca is transforming the lives of young women and giving them a shot at a better future.

athenahealth

As part of their effort to help healthcare organizations perform at their highest level, athenahealth asked us to make an animation that describes what’s special about industry top performers and how others can learn from them.

Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health

This one is near and dear to my heart. We teamed up with our longtime client, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, to create a video about their founder, a woman of profound courage and vision who worked tirelessly to make her dream a reality. This is her story. Learn more about the project.

Harvard Business Publishing & Insight

Harvard Business Publishing and Insight asked us to create an explainer video about the benefits of adopting a hybrid cloud solution for business operations.

Global Press Journal

And lastly, our first foray into digital journalism. Produced in both English and Nepali, the video explains the current rebuilding crisis in Nepal in the aftermath of the deadly 2015 earthquake. Learn more about the project.

I first learned about Global Press Journal at a conference last year. I knew we had to work with them. Thankfully, we got the chance last summer. We began production on a video that explains the current rebuilding crisis in Nepal in the aftermath of the deadly 2015 earthquake.

I love how the folks at Global Press Journal combined the video with an article from a Nepalese reporter to create grassroots, multifaceted coverage of this issue. Check it out. It’s worth a look if you’re contemplating ways that text and images can be combined with video to create a compelling experience.

Another big challenge for this project was creating a Nepali language version of the video. That video quickly received more than 100,000 views when it went live. We’re honored to have played a role in bringing these issues to viewers around the world.

Feast your eyes on these tasty cuts from our most recent work: