07/01/25
Author: Victor Blasco
32 min reading
MarketingStrategy
In today’s fast-paced digital world, animated ads have become a powerful tool for businesses looking to capture attention and engage their audience. From eye-catching cartoon ads to sleek animated commercials, brands are using animation to tell compelling stories and make a lasting impact.
In this article, we’ll explore 20 of the best animated adverts that showcase creativity, storytelling, and marketing effectiveness. Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your next animated advertisement or just love advertising cartoons, these examples will give you plenty of ideas for your brand’s next campaign.
Want to know how much an animated ad would cost? Try our Video Cost Calculator and get an instant estimate!
With more brands competing for attention online, standing out has never been more important. This is where animated ads come in—they combine creativity, storytelling, and visual appeal to engage audiences in ways traditional ads often can’t.
But what makes animated commercials so effective? And why are more businesses turning to animation advertising to connect with their audience? Let’s break down the key advantages and how they can elevate your brand’s marketing efforts.
In a world where users scroll past content in seconds, a well-crafted cartoon ad or animated commercial can stop them in their tracks. Vibrant visuals and dynamic movement naturally draw the eye, making it easier for brands to stand out in crowded digital spaces.
One of the biggest strengths of animated adverts is their ability to explain complex products or services in a simple, engaging way. Whether it’s a commercial with animation breaking down a tech product or a cartoon ad illustrating a brand’s mission, animation makes messaging clearer and more digestible.
Studies show that people retain 65% of visual content compared to just 10% of text. This means an engaging animated advertisement has a higher chance of being remembered than a traditional static ad.
From social media ads to YouTube commercials, animation advertising adapts seamlessly to different formats. This versatility allows brands to maximize their reach while maintaining a consistent message.
Alright, we’ll admit it—we’re kicking things off by talking about ourselves. But hey, if our work is making its way into multiple “Best Animated Ads” lists, why not own it?
One of our productions, the Amazon Appstore & Windows 11 commercial, has been featured by many as a standout example of animation advertising done right. And we couldn’t agree more!
This animated commercial showcases how Windows 11 users can effortlessly run their favorite mobile apps with the Amazon Appstore. The video’s smooth transitions, engaging storytelling, and sleek design make it an easy pick for this list. It perfectly demonstrates how animated adverts can simplify complex tech features while keeping audiences engaged.
But enough about us… for now. 😉 Keep scrolling to see more of the best cartoon ads out there. And if you’re curious, we’ve also included a special selection of five more of our favorite animated commercials at the end of the list—just in case you’re in the mood for more Yum Yum magic.
Now that we’ve explored why animated ads are so powerful (and yes, we may have snuck in our own Amazon video 😉), let’s take a look at some of the best examples in action. These animated commercials showcase creativity, storytelling, and marketing effectiveness across different industries.
Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your next cartoon ad or want to see how top brands use animation advertising, these examples will give you fresh ideas for your marketing strategy.
Top 25 Animated Ads & Cartoon Ads
When your product is called “Keyword Magic”, what better way to market it than with a wizard?
This engaging animated ad by Semrush packs an impressive amount of detail and entertainment into just 23 seconds. Instead of a traditional animated commercial that simply showcases the app’s interface, this creative approach brings it to life through an animated wizard, who manipulates and controls the platform like magic.
From the sleek typography in the opening scene to the dynamic and amusing cartoon ad animations, this example proves that demonstrating a tool’s features doesn’t have to be dull. It’s a perfect blend of storytelling, creativity, and marketing effectiveness—showing how animation advertising can make even technical products exciting.
A phone commercial without a single phone in sight? If you think it’s risky, you’d be right. But in this case, the risk was well worth the reward.
Android used this commercial to join social conversation about bullying and build brand affinity. Their video inspires courage, compassion and connection, and builds value for this global brand along the way.
Government campaigns don’t often stand out in the world of animation advertising, but this animated ad from the UK Department for Transport is a refreshing exception.
Designed to promote inclusivity in public transport, the video uses a cartoon ad to illustrate everyday commuting scenarios, encouraging small acts of kindness to improve everyone’s experience. By opting for animated adverts instead of live-action, the campaign delivers its message in a way that feels engaging rather than preachy—making it more relatable and impactful.
A great example of how animated commercials can drive positive social change while remaining visually compelling!
This beautifully crafted animated commercial from Lyft embraces an animated short style, with incredible attention to detail in every frame.
The ad tells the touching story of June, a kind-hearted grandmother using Lyft’s services on her journey to buy a new car. Without giving too much away, the narrative is both charming and emotionally compelling, making it a standout example of animation advertising done right.
From its polished design to the seamless storytelling, every aspect of this animated advert feels intentional and immersive. Most impressively, Lyft integrates its brand naturally into the narrative, creating a connection with viewers without feeling overly promotional.
A perfect example of how cartoon ads can engage audiences while maintaining authenticity!
The popular business communication platform Slack is no stranger to great animated ads examples — or great ads in general! But “Work, simplified” continues to be one of our all-time favorites!
It’s one of those video ads examples that stand out for their “simple complexity” and economy of story, leveraging visual communication to its fullest.
The use of a continuous take/camera panning combined with elaborate backgrounds and compositions work marvelously to convey their message. There’s neither voice-over nor on-screen text, and yet you can’t watch the video and not get what it’s saying!
Best of all? The piece isn’t even long! It only asks for less than a minute of the viewers’ time, and it doesn’t overstay its welcome — just an all-around good advertisement example of animation done right.
There are so many cool advertisement ideas in this piece from Summa Health that it can be difficult to focus on just a few to mention here. The creative imagery (of both visuals and the script), the dynamic perspective and camera work, the implementations of striking 3D-like 2D elements… the list goes on with this piece of healthcare video production.
As you watch it, start by paying attention to three elements that make this an animated advertisement worth watching: The on-point, easy-to-read character design; the scenery built with a minimalistic approach; and above all, how each scene ties to the next via well-thought-out, unique transitions…
Then – and beyond all those fantastic technical aspects – we want you also to take special notice of how this cartoon ad manages to convey a sense of positivity and optimism all the way through!
Definitely a worthy addition to our list of the best commercial cartoon ads.
Around Christmas, many companies decide to commemorate the season with animated ads. And in 2018, the Erste Group, an Austrian bank, did an excellent job at it.
They came up with this heartwarming story about a hedgehog with… ermm, obstacles to make friends.
What has that to do with a bank? Well, this is a brand video. It’s the kind of advertisement that focuses on conveying brand values rather than sales pitches.
It’s worth noting that this sweet story will have been virtually impossible to tell without using animation advertising since it’s set in a fictional world where animals take school buses and celebrate Christmas –hardly realistic, right?
As you are about to learn, that’s one of the key advantages of cartoon ads: in terms of storytelling, your imagination is the only limit.
Years ago, Nike redesigned some of its most iconic sneaker models and announced this big step – pun definitively intended – with an animated commercial video. They created this aesthetically pleasing piece that goes hand in hand with the brand’s urban style.
The best part of this animation advertising example is how well it honors previous sneaker designs. Pay attention every time a new model comes into the frame – do you notice how the visuals and music change depending on the style of the featured sneaker? Cool, isn’t it?
This video ad example caught our attention with its beautiful visuals, but there’s more to it than just a pretty aesthetic. It’s an ode to entrepreneurs – the niche MailChimp specializes in.
What’s interesting about this animation idea is that the script focuses more on viewers than on the brand itself. Far from giving a sales pitch or even mentioning what its service is about, MailChimp puts on its customers’ shoes and sends an inspirational message to them. With these types of cartoon ads, an audience can become closer to a company and its values, hopefully bringing about customer trust and loyalty.
Most people would think there’s not much room for creativity when it comes to nonprofit video production, especially one about using the toilet’s “half flush” to save water. But here’s where animated ads examples prove them wrong!
This piece from Sydney Water is just delightful to watch. From the catchy poem about the importance of water to the stunning animation style, everything about this video catches the viewer’s eye and makes it an effective commercial.
Sometimes, the best animated ads are also the simplest. Granted, this one might be a bit longer than the others on this list, but I wanted to include it for several reasons.
It’s very straightforward in explaining how Headspace works, and also makes it clear from the start what value it offers to customers. Moreover, this animated commercial ends with an effective call to action to encourage viewers to download the app.
This video comes from an effective Airbnb campaign to target travelers who may still prefer traditional hosting options, like hotels.
The creative visuals come from using a clay-motion-like animation, an attractive style that allows you to produce pieces filled with creativity and personality.
The secret to the effectiveness of this piece, though, lies in the fact that it’s short and concise. You don’t need a five-minute video to showcase your service’s benefits. Instead, do it the Airbnb way, creating a series of different videos, each showing they can solve a necessity from a different type of audience.
When we’re talking about animated ads, Red Bull cannot not make the list. After all, it’s harder to find someone who doesn’t know their catchphrase, “Red Bull gives you wiiings,” than someone who does.
Red Bull teaches us a fundamental lesson in brand marketing: maintaining a consistent style. They were pioneers in using cartoons to create funny content viewers are thrilled to see and leveraged this the most while maintaining a consistent style over the years.
And years has it been! Did you know that their first cartoon ad came out in 1992? They’ve been so iconic that it’s hard to remember a time when they weren’t there. That’s some good cartoon marketing!
For the biennial Paris Motor Show—one of the world’s biggest automotive events—Toyota took a unique approach to animation advertising with “Stories of Better.” Instead of focusing on a single model, this animated ad tells the story of Toyota’s entire lineup, highlighting how each vehicle is optimized for excellence in its category.
What makes this animated commercial stand out is its artistic execution. Using intricate paper-style animation, Toyota brings its brand values to life in a way that feels more like storytelling than traditional car advertising. By weaving in their commitment to innovation and quality, they avoid the typical sales-driven approach and instead create an emotional connection with viewers.
The impact? Toyota featured this animated advert on a massive LED screen at their Motor Show booth, presenting their vision to over a million attendees and reinforcing their status as a leader in automotive excellence.
This stunning animated ad for Wimbledon is both a tribute to tennis history and an evolution of animation advertising styles. It beautifully captures the spirit of the sport and the relentless pursuit of greatness by some of the most legendary players in history.
What makes this animated commercial truly stand out is not just its storytelling, but what it deliberately leaves out. Unlike most cartoon ads, this piece takes a bold risk by forgoing voiceover—an element often used to capture audience attention. Instead, it relies solely on powerful music and dynamic visuals to create an emotional, goosebumps-inducing experience.
A brilliant example of how animated adverts can engage and inspire without a single spoken word!
Clover’s animated commercial takes viewers on a whimsical journey through an imaginative world, bringing their creamy, dreamy spread to life in a cartoon ad reminiscent of Willy Wonka’s magical universe.
This creative approach proves that even everyday grocery items can be marketed in unique and engaging ways through animation advertising. The campaign’s bold storytelling and stunning visuals didn’t go unnoticed—it earned Clover top honors, including the Best Animated Advertisement award at the INFOCOM EME Awards and first place for Television and Visual Effects at the Mobius Awards.
A brilliant example of how animated adverts can transform even the simplest products into something extraordinary!
Staying on top of trends is crucial for marketers, but sometimes the most unexpected ones create the biggest impact.
Take AI-generated images, for example. With tools like DALL·E Mini gaining popularity, brands have started exploring how artificial intelligence can shape creative marketing. Heinz saw an opportunity and turned this trend into a clever animated ad.
The concept is simple: when AI is asked to generate an image of “ketchup,” it consistently produces Heinz’s iconic bottle and branding. This animated commercial proves what Heinz has known all along—when people think of ketchup, they think of Heinz.
Beyond being a timely and relevant campaign, this animation advertising reinforces Heinz’s legacy, showing how tradition and innovation can go hand in hand. A brilliant example of how animated adverts can tap into cultural trends while strengthening brand identity.
Another legendary animated ad from an equally iconic brand, Happiness Factory by Coca-Cola takes viewers on a whimsical journey inside a Coca-Cola vending machine. This imaginative world is bursting with color, creativity, and vibrant animation advertising, where fantastical 3D characters work tirelessly to prepare, bottle, and chill each drink before it reaches the real world.
And they do it with an Olympic-level celebration. 🎉
This animated commercial is a key part of Coca-Cola’s broader strategy to connect its brand with happiness and positivity. With its playful storytelling and engaging visuals, this cartoon ad perfectly captures the brand’s feel-good message.
Looking for more iconic animated adverts? Keep reading to discover some of the best!
A great animated ad can make you feel something—even if it’s just the illusion of scent and taste. And when it comes to food and beverage marketing, that’s exactly the goal.
For brands like Starbucks, the challenge in animation advertising is to recreate a sensory experience. While ads can’t physically deliver the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the right combination of sound design, visuals, and storytelling can make viewers feel like they’re experiencing it firsthand.
This animated commercial achieves just that by blending rich imagery, smooth transitions, and immersive soundscapes to evoke the warmth and aroma of Starbucks coffee. When all these elements come together in harmony, the result is a compelling animated advert that engages the senses and leaves a lasting impression.
We’ve explored some of the best animated ads out there, but before we wrap up, we couldn’t leave without sharing a few of our own! At Yum Yum Videos, we take pride in crafting high-quality animated commercials that engage audiences and drive real results.
So, here are some of our top animated adverts—let us know what you think, and hopefully, they’ll inspire your next big project!
Our friends at Catan GmbH approached us looking for a cartoon advertisement about their world-renowned tabletop game Catan. One that introduced the basics to new audiences but did so in an equally compelling and entertaining way!
Long story short, we ended up giving the protagonists the ability to “jump inside” the game and experience its elements from a first-person perspective! That original animation idea lent all other aspects of the animation advertisement that magical, relatable, and dynamic feel that only cartoon ads can capture!
Plus, the Catanimals just look too cute, don’t you think?
Next up is another one of our own! For this animated ad, Amazon challenged us to explain Amazon Coins in a way that was both engaging and easy to understand. Instead of using static visuals or screencasts, we brought the coin itself to life—bouncing, rolling, and interacting with its environment to illustrate how users can acquire and spend their digital currency.
This commercial ad is a great example of how animation advertising can simplify complex concepts while keeping viewers entertained. By transforming an intangible product into a fun and dynamic story, this animated advert makes digital transactions feel more accessible and engaging.
Did you know that men are more likely to have insurance than women? You may have not, but Accelerant surely did. That’s why they opted for a male voiceover over a female one for this explainer animated ad.
Successful cartoon ads cater to the audience, which is why we decided to add this piece to the list. Besides adopting the voice actor to cater to their potential customers, this video makes sure to tackle pain points specific to their buyers, like the quality of the account management or the support community available.
It teaches you that the secret to creating an effective is—no secret, after all. Simply understanding who your viewers are and where their worries lie will allow you to create videos that resonate with them.
One of our very first cartoon ads, and still one of our favorites! Created over a decade ago, this project fills us with nostalgia and pride. With taco ingredients singing and dancing, it brings a playful and lively touch to animated adverts—what’s not to love?
This project was a challenge in terms of animation advertising and illustration, but every effort was worth it. The result? A vibrant and engaging cartoon ad that continues to stand out even years later.
Finally, we leave you with this animated ad we created for Adzerk. Unlike the others, this one takes a more abstract approach, using motion graphics animation to deliver a sleek and modern feel.
This animated commercial showcases how animation advertising can go beyond traditional storytelling, focusing on dynamic visuals and smooth transitions to convey complex ideas in an engaging way. A perfect example of how animated adverts can adapt to different styles while maintaining impact!
Thanks to our neverending passion and dedication, our explainer video company has been working in the industry for over a decade and now we stand among the most prominent names out there. As always, our videos are the result of pure love for the medium and having a detail-driven animation process.
What makes us unique is what we also bring to the table, like our:
This philosophy, together with our ample experience, has allowed us to build a portfolio with nearly a thousand marketing videos and partner with small startups and Fortune 500 companies such as Amazon, McKesson, FOX, Thermofisher, Walmart, Vodafone, and more.
But you don’t have to take our word for it, just see for yourself what our customers have to say about working with us:
So, if you’re looking for a partner who can take care of your animated video ads and produce that effective and awesome piece your business deserves, just drop us a line!
If you’re still left with some concerns after watching these cartoon advertisement examples, then you’re in luck! Now, I’m going to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about this kind of video:
Animation is powerful, and few people nowadays would argue that. Moreover, animation advertising can resonate with any type of audience and deliver any kind of message.
That’s the main reason why most businesses are adding commercial cartoon ads to their overall marketing strategy. You just need to find the right approach for you!
But if you are looking for a few more specifics, here are some aspects that showcase the power of cartoon advertisements:
And that’s just to name a few!
So yeah, working with animation advertising itself will open a lot of doors to convey your message exactly the way you want to. Doubly so for those times when you need to incorporate visual aids – like charts or diagrams – or need to convey abstract concepts, made much easier to understand via animation.
While you could write several books about all the elements that come into play in imagining awesome animation ideas and making great ads using animation, here are five we consider vital:
And if you are looking for great 2D animated advertisements like these, just get in touch!
A good rule of thumb is to make your commercial 30 seconds long or less. Believe it or not, that amount of time should be more than enough to convey your message and encourage action. Granted, it’s not easy, but it’s definitely possible.
Moreover, your ad’s length might be determined by the platform on which you wish to share it. For example, Instagram video ads can be between 3 and 120 seconds long, depending on whether you share them on Stories or in-feed. So, you should always check your distribution platform’s best practices before producing your ad.
Commercial cartoons tend to be better at grabbing attention than static ads because they’re more visually appealing and interesting to watch than lines of text. Moreover, they can convey your message in the form of a compelling narrative that’s more likely to have the desired impact on your potential customers because it can be tailored to their specific needs and interests. So, overall, we could say that yes, animated ads are definitely effective.
These commercials increase sales because, as I’ve mentioned before, they’re highly appealing and can be tailored to a specific audience. On top of that, you can transform your message into a story your audience can relate to and consume easily. And since cartoon advertisements require almost no effort on the part of the viewer to understand the information being presented, it becomes easy for them to understand and even to recall your message regardless of complex it might be.
Animation advertising is priced according to different factors, such as the video’s length and style, customization options, the production timeline and team’s expertise, and so on. But typically, this is what animation costs per minute depending on your approach:
If you’re a DIY die-hard, you’ll be pleased to learn that there are several tools that can help you create an animated ad on your own.
Just like these top 4 options, there are several tools you can use to to develop commercials with animation. However, the problem is that customization is often impossible, leaving you with a generalized result similar to what many other brands may have.
If you want an ad that stands out, represents your brand, and helps you fulfill your sales objectives, reaching out to a professional animated video maker may be best.
Media, especially digital media, is oversaturated, so it makes sense that your immediate question is whether or not your ad will stand out. And the simple answer is yes.
Whether your target audience is a Boomer, a Millennial, or a Gen Z, the truth is most of us grew up watching cartoons. Today, animation is more than a marketing format: it’s an art that crafts visually attractive narratives that imitate reality and captivate viewers across all age groups.
Seeing characters laugh, cry, and get angry can evoke those emotions in us and build connections, which has a subsequent impact on a viewer’s memory retention. After all, content that makes us feel can catch our attention and leave a lasting impression in our memories. So, not only can animation help you capture your audience’s attention, but it will also help increase brand awareness and recall over time.
Still, there’s no secret to standing out other than knowing your audience and remaining true to your brand. By imitating blindly what others are doing, you will easily end up being overseen. And if you fail to cater your content to your customers, you may stand out, but to the wrong public, and that won’t drive the sales you want.
Let’s face it, animated ads can be overly cute. However, that’s not a good argument you can go and pitch to your boss.
A more “serious” reason to choose animated ads is that they’re easier to produce. While animated ads come with their load of work, they’re considerably easier than recording a live-action from start to finish. More so if you hire a qualified video animation company—then, you can leave all the work to us 😉
To record a commercial, you’d need actors, sets, or expensive camera equipment. All of this time and effort can be saved with an animated ad, making them a more cost-effective option.
Additionally, animation allows for more creativity and flexibility than other video formats. While making an actor fly would require expensive equipment or huge fees on CFX editing, with animation, you can make your characters fly, spew fire, swim in the ocean, or simply break down your product in parts, showcasing it’s benefits, functionalities, or importance.
This can allow you to explain complex functionalities or abstract concepts easily and effectively.
Animated ads can help improve brand awareness—but your brand needs to be easily identifiable for that to work. And while this can be simple in a live-action, where you can simply display your product with your logo in the center, in animation, brand design needs to be taken into consideration carefully.
Each element you add to your video has the potential of becoming a representative token fo your brand. Think of Google—simply by seeing the design of their tools, you can identify it easily.
So, make sure to design the brand elements beforehand. Develop clear color schemes, repeated narrative themes, and recurring characters. Give a proper thought to this, as they should remain consistent across all your videos.
Repetition will provide recognizable branding to make your videos more familiar.
Víctor Blasco is the founder and CEO of Yum Yum Videos, an explainer video company. He is also an audiovisual designer and a video marketing expert. When he's not running his business, Víctor enjoys studying Chinese philosophy and geeking out over science fiction films and comics. The Force is strong with this one!
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