The Impact of CGI and VFX in Marketing and Advertising
Advertising and marketing campaigns that use high-end visual effects can be more effective than those that don't.
While there aren't many direct case studies comparing high-end visual effects to campaigns without them, several pieces of evidence suggest that visual effects can significantly enhance advertising effectiveness.
Exploring Audience Engagement with CGI and VFX
CGI and VFX hold a unique power to capture viewers’ attention through visually stimulating content.
A report by BorisFX (formerly GenArts) found that target audiences were 9% less likely to stop watching a video with visual effects compared to those without.
This indicates that visual effects can help maintain viewer attention, which is crucial for ad effectiveness. Dynamic visuals can trigger emotional responses, improving brand perception and making advertisements more memorable.
This technique leverages vivid colors, realistic textures, and motion, appealing to the sensory processing areas in the brain and leading to heightened engagement.
Engagement and Recall
CGI ads are described as visually stunning and innovative, keeping audiences interested and engaged, which increases brand recall and likelihood of purchase.
Consumers are 6 and a half times more likely to retain an ad’s message if it is accompanied by compelling visuals.
According to Storyly, “The instant a viewer encounters a visual element, it acts as a hook, drawing them into the content. This immediate impact is vital in an environment where attention spans are short and information overload is common.”
Driving Purchase Intent with CGI
CGI can influence consumer behavior by positioning products within aspirational, idealized contexts.
The aforementioned BorisFX study revealed that purchase intent was 9%-12% higher for videos with visual effects versus those without. This suggests that visual effects can directly influence consumer behavior and drive sales.
According to Moxels, “visuals help create a brand identity which attracts a specific type of consumer and connect the consumer emotionally with your brand.”
Psychological Impact
CGI and VFX create immersive visuals that keep viewers engaged by enhancing storytelling and tapping into emotional responses.
These techniques not only attract attention but also increase the likelihood of a purchase decision.
“The part of the brain responsible for seeing is more powerful than previously believed. In fact, the visual cortex can essentially make decisions just like the brain’s traditional ‘higher level’ areas, finds a new study led by a Michigan State University neuroscientist.”
Cognitive Influence
By embedding products within CGI-enhanced scenarios, advertisers can help potential buyers envision an idealized version of their lives with the product.
Nike's Air Max campaign, which incorporated hyper-realistic CGI elements, saw a 15% increase in conversion rates by capturing consumers’ imaginations and showcasing product versatility.
Industry Trends and Shifts
There's a noticeable shift in the advertising industry towards high-impact and video formats, which often incorporate visual effects.
High-Impact And Video Ads Are Taking Over The Traditional Display Market
Major players are redirecting budgets from traditional display ads to high-impact and video advertising formats.
This industry-wide trend suggests that these formats, which often utilize visual effects, are seen as more effective.
Anders Nordsted, Digital Marketing Specialist from Danske Spil A/S, notes that high-impact formats show "notably higher performance in attention and engagement KPIs compared to classic standard formats."
Growth of Digital Advertising Budgets
More advertisers are diverting budgets from traditional formats to CGI-enhanced digital media.
For example, in the automotive sector many car brands use CGI to present their vehicles in compelling scenarios and to easily swap out car models as they change, which would be costly or impossible to replicate with traditional physical shooting techniques.
Creating Immersive Brand Experiences
CGI plays a crucial role in creating immersive brand experiences by enabling marketers to craft visually stunning and engaging content that captivates audiences.
The use of CGI and VFX allows brands to create visually appealing and immersive experiences that may be challenging or impossible to capture on camera, potentially leading to more memorable and effective campaigns.
Breaking Boundaries
CGI enables marketers to envision and render products in imaginative realms.
CGI empowers brands to push the limits of creativity:
Allows for the creation of surreal and attention-grabbing visuals
Enables brands to showcase products in impossible or fantastical settings
Facilitates the development of innovative marketing stunts that generate buzz
This creative freedom helps brands stand out in a crowded advertising landscape and capture audience imagination.
By leveraging CGI, brands can create more impactful, memorable, and engaging marketing campaigns that drive brand affinity.
Storytelling and Branding
CGI allows brands to create visually stunning and immersive experiences.
This enhanced visual storytelling helps brands capture audience attention and create memorable experiences that resonate with consumers.
Enables the creation of fantastical worlds and scenarios impossible to capture on camera
Allows for hyper-realistic product visualizations and demonstrations
Facilitates the development of engaging animated characters and narratives
CGI brings brand mascots and original characters to life.
CGI empowers brands to create dynamic narratives:
Animated brand mascots and characters that resonate with audiences
Visual metaphors and abstract concepts brought to life
Seamless transitions between real and CGI elements in video content
This enhanced storytelling capability allows brands to convey complex messages and evoke emotions more effectively.
CGI characters like Geico’s Gecko have become brand mascots that resonate with audiences, showcasing the character’s adaptability across marketing platforms while reinforcing brand identity.
Creating Fantastical Worlds
CGI allows brands to transport viewers into imaginative and impossible environments.
Automotive brands can showcase vehicles in surreal landscapes, futuristic cities, or dangerous environments
Beauty companies can create ethereal, dreamlike settings for product launches
Fashion brands can design virtual showrooms and runways in fantastical locations
These immersive worlds help brands tell more compelling stories and create memorable experiences.
Image credit: Audi
Hyper-Realistic Product Visualization
CGI enables incredibly detailed and lifelike product renderings:
360-degree views allow customers to examine products from every angle
Cutaway animations can showcase internal components and features
Products can be demonstrated in various environments and use cases
This level of visualization helps customers better understand products and increases confidence in purchase decisions.
Interactive Experiences
CGI facilitates the creation of interactive brand experiences:
Virtual try-on tools for cosmetics, eyewear, and clothing
Customizable product configurators for cars, furniture, etc.
Augmented reality apps that place products in users' real environments
These interactive elements deepen engagement and provide valuable product information in an immersive format.
Consistency Across Platforms
CGI assets can be easily adapted for various marketing channels:
Social media content
Website and e-commerce visuals
In-store displays and out-of-home advertising
This flexibility ensures a consistent and immersive brand experience across all touchpoints.
Increased Flexibility
CGI provides marketers with greater agility in their campaigns:
Allows for rapid adjustments to visuals in response to changing trends or consumer preferences
Enables easy modification of assets for use across various marketing channels
Facilitates quick updates to product features or campaign themes without costly reshoots
This flexibility helps brands stay current and relevant in their marketing efforts.
Creating Touchstone Moments
CGI provides marketers with greater agility in their campaigns:A well-crafted campaign with exceptional visuals achieved through the use of VFX and CGI can create social buzz around a brand that extends beyond the confines of a 30-second spot.
Consider Temu’s “Shop Like A Billionaire” campaign that ran during the 2024 Super Bowl.
Brandwatch called them the winner of the event’s high-stakes commercial derby because “out of all the branded and advertised conversations during the Super Bowl, Temu garnered an astounding 32% or more than 33,000 mentions on social media during the game.
In today’s connected world, the ads that spark conversation on social media are the ones that stand out above the noise.
The only other brand to come close to Temu’s success, with almost 32,000 mentions, was Verizon.
Verizon’s 2024 Super Bowl campaign was fueled by the star power of Beyoncé and a healthy dose of CGI-driven fantastic visuals.
Case Studies
Old Spice: "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like"
This ad used seamless CGI transitions and surreal in-camera effects, helping to double Old Spice's sales by appealing to younger audiences through humor and creativity.
These visual techniques supported the ad's imaginative concept and helped tell a richer story, contributing to its lasting cultural impact over a decade later.
Source: Maybelline’s TikTok
Maybelline: Lash Sensational Mascara
Maybelline went viral by integrating oversized CGI mascara wands on London’s iconic vehicles.
This merging of fantasy with real-life elements to create a visually arresting campaign that set a new standard for showcasing cosmetic products in hyper-realistic and creative ways.
Source: Jacquemus’ Instagram
Jacquemus: "Bags on Wheels" Campaign
This campaign featured CGI animations of the brand’s iconic Bambino bags driving through Paris, creating a surreal experience that sparked widespread social media discussion.
The campaign’s unique perspective and playful concept helped distinguish Jacquemus in the luxury fashion space and showcased an innovative approach to marketing high-end fashion accessories.
Image credit: Business Today
Barbie Movie Promotion
CGI was utilized to depict a giant-sized Barbie doll towering over Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
This visually impactful advertisement went viral, leveraging CGI to amplify a cultural icon and successfully bridge nostalgia with modernity.
Arizona Commerce Authority: “Future48”
The Future48 Workforce Accelerators campaign aimed to inspire the next generation of teens and young adults to pursue a career in advanced manufacturing through a video series that utilized immersive storytelling and engaging visuals.
Scottsdale AZ based agency Ideas Collide worked closely with visual effects company Foxtrot X-Ray, leveraging their state-of-the-art visual effects technology to bring the complete story to life in post-production.
From creating a hangar filled with futuristic aircraft to designing an electric vehicle assembly line, Foxtrot X-Ray’s VFX artists meticulously crafted every aspect of the campaign’s visual storytelling.
The Future48 paid media campaign ran from March to June 2024, and the video was featured on digital platforms such as YouTube and CTV, resulting in nearly 5 million impressions and over 3 million combined views.
On Arizona Commerce Authority’s YouTube Channel, the three 30-second Future48 videos account for 62% of the channel’s total views, out-performing the vast majority of the channel’s 672 other videos by several orders of magnitude.
The campaign also garnered awards at:
2024 AMA Spectrum Awards - Best Digital Video Campaign
2024 Telly Awards - Silver Award for Best Visual Effects - Online Commercials.
Conclusion and Implications for Marketers
CGI offers significant advantages, from driving customer engagement to fostering brand recall.
Our examples have illustrated how CGI and VFX can help brands differentiate themselves, stay competitive, and build lasting connections with their audiences.
As advertising continues to be increasingly competitive, staying updated with CGI technologies will enable marketers to push creative boundaries and remain relevant.