A brief history of the explainer
Back in 2009, explainer videos weren’t called explainers. At that time, we were still strutting around town as Transvideo Studios and cranking out short, animated, elevator-pitch videos that we called “overview videos”. In a way, the name was more appropriate than explainers. After all, the videos weren’t really meant to explain in detail, but to provide a brief macro-level view of what the startup was about.
With the success of one of our explainers, Mint, and when Michael Arrington wrote a blurb about us on TechCrunch, we began to draw serious attention. It was around this time that we decided to develop a separate agency to focus on the creative and business potential focused on explainers.
That’s how Picturelab was born.
Explainers: where are they now?
Most of the explainers in the early days were animated since they were easier to produce for budget-conscious startups. Eventually, companies with healthier budgets requested live action productions. By the mid to late 2010s, the live action explainer was just as common as an animated one.
One of our most successful live action explainer was for a rising startup called Gong. They would eventually become a household name in the revenue intelligence industry, but when they came to us in 2017, people didn’t quite know what they did.
During this decade, our other successful live action explainers included Thumbtack, Stitcher, MobileIron, and Flipboard.
Eventually, as with anything, with popularity came market saturation and by the pandemic years, the overall production of explainers declined.
Picturelab continued to produce explainers but our main line of business shifted to other types of videos. We developed several branded content series, concept and future videos, testimonials, as well as several national television commercials including a Super Bowl spot in 2021.
Explainers are still in demand today, but there are many more ways to make them. Anyone with a phone can shoot and edit them. Many freelancers around the world can do them for a couple hundred dollars. There are apps that can generate them as well. And AI will certainly have its place in explainer production.
The future of explainers
As we wrap up the 2020s, Brands will still need explainer videos to share their stories, educate their audiences, and introduce their products. As mentioned above, AI will be able to generate a lot of these videos and oversea freelancers will continue to be active in this space.
But we feel that agencies like Picturelab will still have a role to play. The automated or low-budget options may be sufficient for many different video needs, but what they may lack is the custom element that comes with working closely with an agency.
From our inception in 2009, we have always provided a customized and collaborative approach to video making. We work closely with our clients to craft their stories. There are some things that AI won’t be able to do to give your video that human element. A freelancer in another country might not care to put in the extra time considering the rate. And DIY might lack the creative element.
Yes, it may cost more, but as with explainers back in 2009, a video increases conversion rates anywhere from 10 to 75%. A generic video may do the same, but a creative, custom video that engages with your audience in a more relevant and intimate way will have a higher ROI.
Things have changed since 2009, but our focus remains the same: create engaging content that helps brands grow and thrive. Whether that’s an explainer or anything else, we’re here and continuing to evolve to meet that demand.
To learn more about how Picturelab can help with your video content, contact us at info@picturelab.com.