29/10/24
Author: Florencia Corazza
22 min reading
Video Production Companies
The latest video marketing stats prove that investing in professional-level video is a game-changer for most businesses. However, sifting through the numerous 2D animation studios on the market to find the right crew for your piece is often difficult.
From defining a clear, creative artistic vision to scheduling deadlines and overall production quality, there are several crucial junctions that can make or break your video –and you need 2D animation services that can deliver what your business needs!
To help you find and connect with them, I’ve put together a list of some of the top 2D animation companies out there. Rest assured that each of them has the experience, talent, and know-how to create a video marketing piece that helps your brand achieve its goals.
Check them out!
Table of Contents
The companies you’ll see featured here weren’t randomly chosen. In fact, there are several aspects we took into account to decide whether they belonged here:
When it comes to branding and promoting a company or a product, animation has proven to be a force to be reckoned with. But making an effective animated marketing piece is tricky, so you need a talented and agile 2D animation house that can deliver.
But “to deliver” can mean many things in many contexts and be of little help to us today! So, as you go through my list and even beyond, here are five elements I feel you should be paying particular attention to if you want to make a good choice:
Now that you know the key attributes to consider, it’s time to go over our handpicked list of 2D animation companies to jump-start your search and avoid a lot of problems along the road!
Founded: 2010
Team Size: 10 – 20 employees.
Clients: Amazon, McKesson Corporation, Walmart, American Express, Vodafone, Red Bull.
Pricing: $8,000+
About us: I know how this looks, but rest assured we wouldn’t feature on the list if we didn’t truly belong here! Every piece we work on is lovingly created by following a handful of guiding principles that set us apart from most other 2D animation companies:
By choosing us as your 2D animation studio, you get access to a talented, adaptable, and, above all, experienced video marketing outfit that has worked alongside world-renowned brands like Amazon, McKesson, Red Bull, DocuSign, and Walmart –just to name a few!
But you don’t have to just take our word for it, though. See for yourself how our clients feel about working with us!
Founded: 2016
Team Size: 10 – 50 employees.
Clients: Airtable, Cascade, Montu, Digital Ocean.
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: There’s one aspect that stood out to me when researching Vidico to include it on my list of top 2D animation studios: data-informed storytelling. Not only does the team at this studio work really well with 2D and motion graphics animation techniques, but they also produce commercials, brand videos, anthem films, customer stories, and more. Their scripts are great, and the overall quality of their products speaks for itself.
Founded: 2013
Team Size: 2 – 9 employees.
Clients: Egencia, Expedia, Hyve Group, Nubreed Events.
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: A boutique-style 2D animation company, MHF, might be smaller than others in this list, but they can certainly match the quality of content. Their mission is to connect brands with their prospects in a more authentic and meaningful way. For this reason, they prefer their production process to go unscripted, fully adapting it to the requirements of each project.
Founded: 2011
Team Size: 10 – 50 employees.
Clients: Jumbo, Fico, LinkedIn, Lattice.
Pricing: —
About them: From editorial videos to educational and personalized pieces, this 2D animation company knows what it’s doing with every asset it works on, especially when it combines animation with live-action. They like to produce content that helps businesses grow, sell products, and onboard customers, all while looking good.
Founded: 2009
Team Size: 10 – 49 employees.
Clients: Jotform, AppToPay, SalesMath, SessionCam.
Pricing: $5,000+
About them: With a varied portfolio that includes anything from explainer videos to demo videos and everything else in between, Wyzowl definitively earns its spot among the top 2D animation studios. Much like us, they prioritize the client’s feedback at every stage of the production process in order to produce polished work-in-progress pieces that require little to no tweaking at the end.
Founded: 2012
Team Size: 10 – 49 employees.
Clients: MGA Systems, DevSquad, Panasonic, Bayhealth.
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: This agency understands the importance of high-quality production to achieve great results. By crafting short, entertaining, and unique pieces, they help their clients capture attention and motivate audiences into action. Moreover, they seek to “find clarity” in their clients’ core message in order to convey it effectively.
Founded: 2011
Team Size: 20 – 30 employees.
Clients: Weizmann Institute, IMB, GEICO, Zocdoc.
Pricing: $15,000+
About them: Demo Duck focuses on creating content that conveys interesting stories, and that’s something we can certainly get behind! With a penchant for humor, an established track record working with recognizable brands, and a unique style they can apply to a wide range of videos, this is definitely one of the best 2D animation studios out there.
Founded: 2011
Team Size: 10 – 49 employees.
Clients: Reimagine, BioScript, Cook & Co., Trimble.
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: Switch Video stands out for its well-defined, comprehensive production process that follows clear principles that every talented 2D animation studio worth its salt should apply. That’s why they set and meet timelines consistently, keep clients updated at every step of the way, and reflect client feedback and expectations in every iteration of the piece.
Founded: 2015
Team Size: 10 – 49 employees.
Clients: Stacks City, Hive, Barclays Intrapreneurship.
Pricing: —
About them: A reliable 2D animation company based in the Middle East featuring a “crew of creative gurus” that works with a variety of video styles, such as character-based, motion graphics, 3D, and, of course, 2D. Yans Media has worked with brands around the world for a while now and continues to make a name for itself.
Founded: 2009
Team Size: 10 – 50 employees.
Clients: Deloitte, SAP, Dupont, Epson.
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: A provider that serves brands, marketers, and thought leaders and has the legacy and experience to back up the quality of their services. This 2D animation company has an outstanding team and a production process that allows it to develop remarkably creative and clear marketing pieces in both live-action and animation styles.
Founded: 2010
Team Size: 2 – 9 employees.
Clients: YachtMe, CashplanEnterprise, Filegear, QED.
Pricing: —
About them: Based in South Africa, Blink Tower is a talented 2D animation studio that stands out for its results-oriented and script-based production process. They offer good, humorous pieces where substance supersedes style because they like to explore “new and exciting ways” of conveying a brand’s story. While you can count the members of their team with two hands, they’re all involved in production, from early brainstorming to the final delivery.
Founded: 2013
Team Size: 2 – 9 employees.
Clients: United Nations, BatNav, ACIAR.
Pricing: $5,000+
About them: This 2D animation company has shown time and again that they understand how a compelling story can make a brand’s vision come to life and influence the viewer to take action. Motion Story specializes in working with people looking to change the world, which is why they’ve partnered with numerous peacekeepers, law changers, and global digital disruptors.
Founded: 2010
Team Size: 2 – 9 employees.
Clients: inDinero, Disqus, Clipboard, PadMapper.
Pricing: —
About them: The cleverness of Grumo’s work caught my attention immediately, just as their fondness for elevating startups –a sentiment we can’t help but share! That said, having worked with companies of all sizes and produced videos with unique visuals, Grumo has all the attributes a professional 2D animation company strives to possess.
Founded: 2014
Team Size: 1 employee.
Clients: Vegan Society, E-butler, Vmarkt, Alfa Systems.
Pricing: —
About them: As a one-person outfit, I think Dinos & Teacups more than deserves an honorable mention in this list. This company’s founders shouldn’t be underestimated, as they have extensive personal experience working with 2D animation and are more than skilled enough to produce charming pieces that any company can benefit from. It’s worth mentioning, however, that they prefer working with companies that share their strong values and causes they truly believe in.
Founded: 2009
Team Size: 10 – 50 employees.
Clients: Playdate, Lumos, Flip, Fairmint.
Pricing: $50,000+
About them: While specializing mostly in live-action marketing pieces, I decided to include Sandwich Video among these 2D animation studios because of the incredible way they’re using animation to spruce up their live-action pieces. If a company’s goal is to help people understand something new, they’re always in to offer their services.
Founded: 2000
Team Size: 50 – 100+ employees.
Clients: Aggreko, Willis Towers Watson, State Street, Amadeus IT.
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: A professional crew of award-winning producers, animators, editors, creative directors, and camera/sound operators that create unique productions for clients all over the world. This 2D animation company has expanded over time, and now offers 3D, stop-motion, and hand-drawn pieces, as well as extra services such as language re-versioning and subtitling.
Founded: 2012
Team Size: 1 – 10 employees.
Clients: Thumbtack, Pendo, Eero, Nest.
Pricing: —
About them: A 2D animation studio that not only makes creative pieces in this style but also creates graphic illustrations with beautiful results. Over the years, the team at VTS has developed a distinctive voice and style that they use to help brands stand out from the crowd. On top of that, they’re always looking for challenges that involve bringing unique ideas to life,
Founded: 2010
Team Size: 10 – 40 employees.
Clients: Virgin Media, Soho House, Boing, The Flynn.
Pricing: –
About them: This innovative studio, headquartered in London, is widely acclaimed for its unique approach to 2D animation and design. The team specializes in producing captivating, character-driven content for brands, combining imaginative storytelling with strategic messaging.
Founded: 2014
Team Size: 50 – 249 employees.
Clients: MEBO, Together Duke, Sensei, Miinto.
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: A Polish 2D animation studio known for its unique style and driven team. Its mission is to create stories that touch the viewer’s hearts and inspire them, which is why they like to experiment and explore new horizons. They’ve worked with many different businesses out there and helped them achieve their marketing goals with visually attractive videos.
Founded: 2014
Team Size: 50 – 249 employees.
Clients: University of Denver, Home Chef, The Body Shop, Henkel.
Pricing: $8,000+
About them: One of the best 2D animation companies anyone will come across, Lemonlight offers quality video production services for anyone looking for conversion-driven video content. They’ve streamlined their animation process, which allows them to ensure a seamless experience on every project.
Founded: 1998
Team Size: 10 – 49 employees.
Clients: Dassault Systèmes, Comcast, Aquafina, Denny’s.
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: Flow Production and Post is one of the oldest 2D animation studios in the industry, with an impressive track record and a solid portfolio that clearly showcases its skill level. It tackles the animation process with an elegant, streamlined, and handcrafted approach, aiming to make its clients look good.
Founded: 2014
Team Size: 2 – 9 employees.
Clients: Orbis, Atlas Copco, Hoover, CTE.
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: A small 2D animation house experienced in projects of all shapes and sizes across multiple industries. With a wide variety of styles and applications at their disposal, they seek to bring their clients’ stories to life through motion. Their strengths lie in corporate video production, branded content, and industrial videos.
Founded: 2015
Team Size: 2 – 9 employees.
Clients: Splacer, Everytable, Joybird, Phototile.
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: This 2D animation agency is always on the hunt for inspiring stories that can either teach them something new or make them think. Luminoustudios’ team is highly skilled in the animation craft and takes care of every stage of the production process for their clients, from creative development to the delivery of a final piece that’s “cool, clever, and colorful.”
Founded: 2011
Team Size: 2 – 9 employees.
Clients: BlueYonder, Payability, Wordfence, Canavan Foundation.
Pricing: $8,000+
About them: A group of graphic designers, illustrators, and animators who’ve joined forces to offer quality 2D animation services. Their specialty lies in creating engaging videos to solve visual problems, so they offer a wide variety of video services mainly focused on the business, finance, and education industries.
Founded: 2011
Team Size: 2 – 9 employees.
Clients: Ava Scribe, ExtremeReach, Kakaxi, Remode.
Pricing: $25,000+
About them: Last but not least, we have one of the best 2D animation studios in New York. PP prefers to take on projects related to social impact entertainment and cause marketing videos to support and amplify ideas that are positively transformative. From feature films and non-profit videos to documentaries and commercials, their pieces seek to build an “authentic connection that leads to real-world results.”
Founded: 2009
Team Size: 2 – 9 employees
Clients: Engel & Volkers, Saputo, Tweed Farms, PayProp
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: This Toronto-based team has a motto that inspires everything they do: “Story Matters Most”. Ever since they started the project back in 2009, their main goal has been to help businesses tell their story in a way that makes their target audience relate to the brand, remember their value proposition long after they’ve seen the video, and take action.
Founded: 2012
Team Size: 2 – 9
Clients: LadBible, Kaplan, Roche, BBC Sounds
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: This 2D animation company boasts a client portfolio with the likes of Google Retail, Tesco, and many other big-name British brands. Their love for crafting new ideas, managing campaigns, and their creative mindset, as well as expertise working with several different industries, has made them one of the UK’s top video production companies.
Founded: 2017
Team Size: 2 – 9
Clients: NewAir, Amtrust, Liquid Mechanics, Gucci
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: In their own words, this 2D animation company creates videos within a holistic marketing approach that “delivers business results”. With a Satisfaction Guarantee (and a 100% money-back one!) and a tried-and-true 4-step production process, they’re definitely a company to be trusted. They produce all kinds of videos, from 2D animation to testimonials, commercials, promo videos, and more.
Founded: 2012
Team Size: 10 – 49
Clients: Berks County Libraries, DC Central Kitchen, IHG Garner, Home Depot
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: This company specializes in animated video production, a video style that they use as a tool to create fun, engaging, and memorable pieces that help brands and organizations communicate even the most complex ideas simply. Their animations have been used for a wide variety of goals, from employee training to corporate conferences, as well as the more traditional explainer pieces.
Founded: 2014
Team Size: 50 – 249
Clients: Memora Health, Grant Assistant, JSI, Lebara
Pricing: $10,000+
About them: Last, but certainly not least, is Creative Frontiers, a 2D animation company that excels at creating compelling, astounding videos for a variety of industries. Founded to bring “innovative ideas and new technologies” to life in order to help businesses achieve their goals through storytelling, this agency is proud of having created an environment where creativity has no limits.
While we can’t speak to the details of each company’s production process, I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you that at Yum Yum Videos, our videos are the result of pure passion for the medium and of having a detail-driven production process.
This philosophy allows us to innovate and be creative without ever losing the core of what makes our client’s brands and products exciting and unique. I could go on and on about this, but hey! Why read about our video production process when you can watch a testimonial about it?
And, as a sneak peek about what I’ll tackle in the next section, let me share with you a video reel we made with one of our favorite 2D animation styles, Motion Graphics:
So, if you are looking for 2D animation studios that can capture your brand, convey your message, and get the attention and reaction from an audience you want to connect with, get in touch!
Finally, I’d like to go over some common doubts people have about how these companies work:
The cost of a 1-minute animation can vary significantly depending on several factors, including the complexity of the animation, the level of detail, the experience of the animation studio, and the style of the animation.
But, in general terms, the animation cost a company would charge you for would start at $6,000 and go up all the way to $30,000+.
A very simple, minimalistic animation would typically take about 4 weeks to produce. Now, for something more personalized and detailed, the process would take between 4 to 8 weeks.
These companies offer a wide range of services that often cover the entire production process:
Some providers can also offer localization, subtitling, and consulting services.
There are several different animation styles a 2D animation agency can create. Let’s take a quick look at some of them:
This animation style is characterized by making different graphic elements, such as shapes and typography, move and come to life. It’s especially favored by businesses that need to convey complex information into a digestible, simple format.
There’s no better way to make your audience relate to what you’re saying and inspire them to take action than to choose 2D character animation as the star of your video. The animated characters can illustrate common people just like your viewers and the issues they experience, so it’s particularly useful when you want to convey how your product or service can save someone’s day.
Whiteboard animations are perfect when you want to educate your audience on a certain topic or the way your product or service works. The educational style, imitating the traditional classroom whiteboard, engages viewers and makes information easier to grasp, and it’s also a memorable style that sets videos apart from more “traditional” pieces.
Finally, these videos combine not only 2D animation, but several other elements, such as 3D animation, live-action, motion graphics, and anything else you can think of. These pieces are ideal if you want to use real people in your video but don’t want to miss the compelling and fun look of animated elements, resulting in a unique, one-of-a-kind piece.
Generally speaking, studios follow about the same animation process:
1. Research
2. Script
3. Storyboard
4. Art Direction
5. Voiceover narration recording
6. Illustration
7. Animation
8. Sound Design
9. Integration
10. Deliverable
Hiring a studio can offer several key benefits, including:
There’s a reason why most companies nowadays are turning to 2D animation services to carry their message. Not only is video content the preferred medium most consumers respond to, but animation provides the flexibility and personality companies need to stand out!
While choosing the right animated movie studio for you is not a simple task, we hope that by sharing with you a few standouts to look into, we’ve made that search a lot easier. Whichever one you end up going for, you’ll be in good hands!
A skilled writer, translator, and co-editor for our web and blog content. As a self-defined "wordsmith," she’s talented in adapting the latest marketing news into all kinds of digital formats. If she’s not watching the latest Sci-Fi show on Netflix, then can find her tending to her perfectly reasonable number of plants.
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