Animated talking characters versus Video Representatives

We seem to be in a fast moving world, driven by media and of course the ubiquitous world wide web. Over the last few years with the role out of fast internet connectivity and wireless technology a convergence has taken place, now everywhere you go on the internet it's all about media, streaming and animation, but do these types of multi-media experience actually work, do they enhance the visitors experience or are they just an irritation? Well it would seem, that depends on which side of the fence you are sitting.

Let's take "Animated Talking Characters" a more sophisticated form of the Avatar, and, the new breed of "Video Representatives". Both are forms of integrated media, but that is where the similarity ends.

Why do games authors and dear old Disney use animated 3D characters in their films, surely it would be easier to use a real actor, certainly cheaper and undoubtedly faster to bring to market. 

Animated Characters are somewhat anonymous, they can have their own unique characters purely from the look and general mannerisms, we know they are not real and as such we find it easier to maintain a simple relationship even an endearment. Real Human Video however is something completely different, we can be judgemental even bigoted, we can have embedded pre-conceptions relating to the look, sex, nationality and accent, due to our own or "hear-say" experiences, combine these aspects of a Real Human Video and you end up with a potential problem.

Let me give you an example. You visit a website selling real-estate or cars and you are immediately met with an animated sheep, now you may feel that this is somewhat out of place, but your attention is immediately grabbed by the inappropriate, in an amusing way. The sheep greets you and outlines all of the benefits of a particular product or service, the site is consequently "memorable" possibly "humorous", "informative" and hopefully without offence, no-body can be anti-sheep! (unless you were attacked by one when you were young) the site therefore has achieved a number of positive results. There final bi-line could even be .. "get a free cuddly sheep with every purchase!" they have even turned the incongruous into a benefit and made the sheep relevant, from experience you now feel  it must be a "mascot" or a "branding exercise", the sheep is significant, you are now comfortable, and without knowing it have accepted the sheep! and forget your initial mild shock.

The second site again selling real-estate or cars greets you with a Real Human Video, now we have other aspects, do you like the look of the person in the video, hair, weight, height, clothing, style or lack off, accent, and general approach? Because we have never been enticed to buy by a sheep we have nothing negative to say, however because we have all been hit on by the hard sell, we are infinitely more sceptical when it's a Real Human Video! Most of our judgements are made in the first few seconds, I don't like the look of them so... I am turned off. How many times have you not rented a video or changed channel because you don't like the actor even though you know they have never done anything to you, it's our human ability to be instantly judgemental. Now, how many times have you thought to yourself I don't trust that animated character, that Tom & Jerry,  I wouldn't trust them and Homer Simpson is really dodgy, we just don't do that, because our brains know they are not part of our "competition" they will not judge us so we have no need to judge them, deep breath, and relax. It may seem like a silly example but that's how our minds work, something the marketing industry is very aware of!

Why are there so many Video Representatives appearing on the web? Well that one is simple to answer, it's easy technically to do, it requires no special technology and very little know-how, and looks like a convincing idea, do its seemingly easy to sell, the only problem, is, it does not have the same appeal, novelty and effectiveness as "non-real" animated characters, and we have a tendency to judge in an instant, usually negatively. So why take the risk and reduce the effectiveness that is available from Animated Web Characters.

Real Video Representatives are also restrictive, you can only have a human, no animals, or fantasy, they require time to produce due to the process and the production costs are significantly higher than an animated talking character options.

Animated Talking Avatars can have their content changed in a instant, can be any shape or size, are eminently brand-able are less obtrusive and generally more appealing. Cost less and the content or narration can generally be generated by the purchaser with ease. The list goes on.

Before you commit yourself to one way or the other, check out some of the offerings available, if you are not sold in an instance, neither will your visitors, if you have to spend time trying to see the benefits, so will your visitor, if you find the experience far from compelling, so will your visitor. You actually know instinctively more about this subject than you realise.

Check out the following:

For Animated Characters: www.AlterEgos.com and www.Sitepal.com for two different approaches.

For Real Video Representatives: www.TheWebPresenterPeople.co.uk and www.realvideopeople.com

There is good, bad and indifferent offerings available, at the end of the day, you are the final judge.

Alternatively go to your favourite search engine and just type in "talking web characters" and check out the results including the adverts