Consultancy uses animation to enhance media training

Hayes Collins Media have collaborated with a local animation studio to provide their customers with media training.

The Birmingham-based consultancy specialises in preparing people for a communications crisis by training staff at all levels to appear on TV and radio.

To help explain to customers how they can improve on their media skills for these high-pressured environments, they found using animation an effective tool.

Phil Hayes, director of Hayes Collins Media, explains that the media training they provide is a lot like professional liability insurance.

He said: “As a business professional, you hope that you 're never going to use it, but when you find you do need it, you 're very glad it 's there.

“The old clich� that reputations take years to build but moments to lose is absolutely true, now more than ever. You need to be able to explain what 's happened clearly, in terms that your audience can easily understand. ”

Hayes Collins Media looked around for a way to explain this concept to their potential customers and hit upon the power of animation.

Sandra Collins, fellow director, said: “In a crisis, it 's hard for people to see who you truly are. Rumours and even conspiracies can get started that can affect your reputation and ability to do business for years to come. We help you get on the front foot, communicate clearly and make sure audiences see who you really are.

“Through a skills swap under the West Midlands Creative Scale Up, we worked with local animators, WAKSTER, to develop a short web animation expressing the idea of clarity being vital for continued business success. They produced the animation in return for some presentation skills training that we delivered for them. We enjoyed working with another local business, which is the same reason why we 've joined the Birmingham Chamber. ”

Philippe Ingels, managing director and owner of WAKSTER, a specialist creative agency, explained why animation works so well. He said:

“Animation is one of the most effective media formats for lead generation and sales conversion because it breaks down people 's attention barriers by suggesting entertainment, which can 't as easily be filtered out, ignored or dismissed as many other formats.

“Once captured, animation 's storytelling ability holds onto that attention. This gives you enough time to make a persuasive case for the value of your product or service and it 's good at differentiating brands even if they offer exactly the same services as the competition. ”

The animation can be viewed on their website.

Pictured: Phil Hayes and Sandra Collins, directors of Hayes Collins Media