You've probably read the listicles. "Top 10 Animation Agencies." "How to Choose the Right Video Production Partner." "Animation Agency Comparison Guide." They all say roughly the same thing: check their portfolio, compare their prices, read their testimonials.
And that's... fine. Comparison lists give you a starting point.
The comparison lists miss what clients actually want: the difference between okay and exceptional results. And that difference comes down to one thing: whether the agency just delivers your brief, or collaboratively challenges and refines it first.
Because here's the thing: you're not buying an animation. You are hiring a team.
A group of specialists—creative directors, scriptwriters, illustrators, animators, sound designers—each of which is crucial to take your video to the next level.
Think of films you've watched. If one part of the production isn't top notch, the whole thing falls down. For example, you might have a brilliant script but a terrible actor, or a great actor and a terrible script. The editing, the director, the music—all these elements need to come together perfectly in harmony. That's what you're really buying.
In fact, the best films should feel immersive (because you're not noticing what feels off).
This blog will show you what to look for beyond the usual listicle criteria—how to identify agencies that understand this difference and why it matters for your results.
Most agencies follow the same playbook: take your brief, execute it, deliver on time. You'll get professional work that hits the mark you aimed for.
But here's what separates exceptional results: the brief you start with is rarely the brief that will get you the best outcome.
The agencies worth hiring understand this. They know that their job isn't just to execute your vision—it's to work with you to make that vision as powerful as possible before a single frame gets animated.
Here's what "challenging the brief," means in practice:
The agency will want to know your audience beyond demographics. Knowing attritutes is one thing—knowing how your audience think, feel and act is quite another. Understanding what really drives video engagement through psychographics is crucial for creating content that resonates.
They'll also want to ensure we're pinpointing the most receptive audience.
The brief might initially sight they key audience as "marketing managers and CTOs". However, those are very different people with different pain points and motivators. One might prioritise ease and time-saving, the other cost and integration. When you try to speak to both, you dilute your impact.
They might also explore other ways of approaching the brief.
Say a client wants to show their full product interface. The agency might explain why that's cognitively dense for viewers and can quickly date the video.
Or maybe a client suggests using characters. The agency might point out that the character route might alienate part of your audience. For example, if your viewers are both male and female, you're potentially excluding half of them by choosing a male or female lead.
Finally, they'll ask about success in ways you might not have considered.
For example, the agency might explore novel ways of looking at audience attitues and motivations— like asking "Where is your audience at the beginning of this video, and where do you want them to be at the end?"
Most clients haven't thought about success criteria in depth. But getting this right at the start determines whether your video just explains something or actually moves people to act.
Many agencies worry that challenging the brief will cost them the work. So they focus on being agreeable rather than being strategic and impactful.
But it is by far the most important step as it will inform all aspects of the production.
The best agencies have discovery calls where they get super clear on what success looks like, who they're targeting, how they think, and what will move them to act.
This strategic foundation shapes everything that follows—from the narrative structure to the visual approach to the call-to-action.
Here are the types of things worth keeping an ear out for in the initial calls:
Do they ask strategic questions? Not just "when do you need this?" but "what does success look like?" "who's most receptive to this message?" "what action do you want people to take after watching?"
Are they genuinely curious about your business challenge? Are they digging into the brief, asking for extra materials, or raising questions you might not have considered before? Or are they focused on explaining how good they are?
Do they challenge anything collaboratively? Your timeline, your audience definition, your content assumptions? If they're not questioning something, they're probably not thinking strategically.
Can they explain their process clearly? Are you clear on the production timeline, when creative will be delivered, when and how you'll provide feedback, when final sign-off is?
The best agencies start with understanding, not selling. They're more interested in figuring out if this is a good fit than winning the work at any cost.
When you work with an agency whose core is collaboration, everything gets better:
Instead of putting everything from your initial brief into the script, you're building from the ground up—rooted in your animation brief, but refined through insight and audience psychology. What needs to go into this animation to achieve the outcome we want, to relate to the audience we're talking about?
Not just your colours on their house style, but a visual language that feels like your brand through and through.
When everyone's aligned on the strategic foundation, creative decisions become clearer. Fewer revisions, less back-and-forth, stronger final result.
Because you've defined what you're trying to achieve upfront, you'll know whether the video worked. When your goals are clearly defined from the start, animated video production becomes less of a creative gamble—and more of a tool for predictable, purposeful impact.
When you're hunting for an production partner to collaborate with, what you're really choosing between is agencies that execute and agencies that elevate.
Both will likely give you professional work. But only one will push you to create an animated video that doesn't just look great, but that actually drives the outcomes you care about.
And ultimately that's what it's about — what actually drives results in animated videos for business.
Get our guide to learn more about our pricing and approach, or book a discovery call to discuss your project. We'd be delighted to chat.
