Written by Kianna Best on Mar 27, 2025. Posted in General Interest

Animating the Future at TFOA 2025

At this year's The Future of Advertising (TFOA) conference held by The Advertising Producers Association (APA), the world of animating was the afternoon’s starting hot topic. As technological advances in artificial intelligence, virtual reality and immersive experiences push the medium past everything we have ever known, a panel of industry leaders from NOMINT, Nexus, and 4 Creative share their advice on how to navigate the changes and ride the wave to the next chapter.

The Advertising Producers Association (APA) held their annual conference, The Future of Advertising  (TFOA) yesterday in London. Spotlighting the latest trends and forward thinking innovations in the advertising industry, the conference brought together leading industry voices, creative professionals, brands and production experts, succinctly structured in a fast paced and informative afternoon.

Animation is rapidly transforming the advertising landscape, offering brands more engaging and immersive ways to connect with audiences. Once limited to traditional 2D cartoons, animation in advertising has evolved to include cutting-edge 3D visuals, motion graphics, and AI-powered content.

As a multidimensional art form, in the advertising space, it allows audiences to receive brand messaging in constantly new ways. The “unique and powerful” qualities of animation in advertising allow audiences to “tap into human truth” and universal feelings regardless of the story being told, remarked Nexus Studios lead executive producer Ant Austin. As cravings for authenticity continue to grow, reaching audiences will, however, take much more than outlandish steps in design and artistry, but a consciousness of creative intention.

It is this creative intention that is leading the mindset for the panellists as they become more acquainted with AI day by day. Whilst Yannis Konstantinidis, co-founder of NOMINT emphasised that “the magic is in human soul to soul connection” when it comes to creating engaging and receptive animation based advertising, AI is not only a tool for creating cheaper and faster.

With the rise of social media and digital platforms, short-form animated ads are becoming more popular, capturing attention quickly in a crowded space. Brands are leveraging dynamic motion graphics and interactive animations to create memorable experiences that resonate with viewers. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have also expanded animation’s potential, allowing consumers to interact with products in real-time, whether through Snapchat filters or immersive brand experiences in the metaverse.

As advertising gets more immersive, the technology is opening a more interactive and hyper-personalised experience. In a space where possibilities are endless, the main way to embrace the curiosity over fear of the technology according to 4 Creative creative innovation director Landy Slattery is to “get involved and play”.  #