Are static ads dead?
Spoiler: No, of course not. But animated ads typically have higher performance, are getting faster to create and are closing the gap on production costs.
So static ads vs animated ads - What’s best?
This isn’t going to be a point scoring the winner is kinda thing. Because the best choice depends on so many variables that only you can know what’s best for you and your business. But I can help you figure it out - So let’s go.
Let’s be real, static ads struggle here. Especially with social platforms becoming more video driven. It’s not as easy to grab attention. Now this doesn’t mean you can’t grab attention with statics, of course you can, it’s just harder. However, once the attention is lost from a static ad, it’s almost impossible to get it back.
Motion catches the eye, its a human instinct thing. We can’t help it. So in terms of grabbing attention, animation and video are hard to beat. This then leads us to stopping power, attention only gives us a second, stopping power let’s us turn that single second into multiple seconds. Animated ads create strong stopping power through the ability to change over time. Think of it as grabbing attention every few seconds with a new scene. Just as someone is losing attention (or more likely it’s being dragged somewhere else), the scene changes and re-grabs that attention back to your ad.
Static ads tend to struggle with engagement because they rely entirely on strong visuals or messaging to grab attention which is a tough ask in a feed full of video. They can still work well for testing content when speed is important, but they’re fighting an uphill battle performance wise. People just don’t interact with them in the same way anymore, that’s if they even stop scrolling.
Animated ads have strong engagement and better performance. Motion naturally makes us curious so people are more likely to stop and watch. That extra moment can be the difference between someone scrolling past or actually taking a second to see what you’re saying. But just because an ad is animated, doesn’t mean it will instantly improve performance.
The content. Easy. Without a strong message no ad will perform well. But once you’ve found that key message that resonates with your audience, then the format matters.
Some stats from the internet:
→ 86% of static ads go unnoticed and don’t even get seen by the user
→ Animated ads have an up to 41% higher engagement rate than static ads
→ Animated social media ads get 1200% higher audience reach than static graphics.
Just to clarify, static ads can perform better than animated ads if the messaging is stronger. The actual messaging of an ad plays a huge role its success and should be the priority. However, it’s a little bit chicken and egg, as without attention grabbing visuals, no one will stop long enough to actually read your ad. This is why split testing and running multiple ads is so important.
Static ads force clarity with only a limited space to display your message. This can be a good way to focus your message and remove fluff but it also restricts one of the more powerful ways of communication; storytelling. With limited space, key messages can often become oversimplified and so lose their meaning and impact.
Animated ads have a whole new dimension to play with. Time. This lets them take storytelling to the next level and brings an extra layer of clarity. With more space, you can fully explore the key message as well as control the pace of delivery to create specific emotions in the viewer.
This is where static shines. It’s less effective across the board but boy is it faster and cheaper to produce - Especially when you multiply it across platforms, split testing and campaigns, these time and cost savings can add up quickly. This is partly why we still see so many static ads.
Typically slower to produce and more costly than static ads. But we can use custom rigs, templates and elements to dramatically speed things up. (You can learn more my custom animated library setup for rapidly building ads here.) It’s still slower than static and always will be, but the gap probably isn’t a big as you’d think. You just have to way up the extra production time vs the extra performance.
But what about traditional video ads? These are in a similar realm to animated ads in terms of performance, storytelling and production. One edge towards animated ads is that it’s much easier to edit and create rapidly compared to re-shooting video. However video does have a more human approach.
There is a time and place for both static and animated ads. Sometimes a platform favours one over the other, sometimes you need speed and sometimes you’re all in on performance. The key is matching the right format to your specific goals, audience and resources. Many campaigns use both formats at different stages.
Static ads have their place. They are a perfect starting point to gather data about your messaging, audience and what works for you.
Here are some key reasons and situations to use static ads:
→ You have a simple offering.
If you don’t need all the extra space animation can offer, then thats great. Keep it simple with static ads.
→ You’re testing messaging.
When testing messaging, static ads are much cheaper and faster to produce. The more this is at scale, the more it compounds. Just keep in mind that with limited space your message might not hit the mark with a static ad, but could work well with an animated ad with more space.
→ You have a small budget.
There are many reasons for a small budget, like just testing the waters, or maybe it’s just a short campaign. These are valid reasons for going down the static ad route.
Most social platforms are becoming more and more video led. This makes animated ads a good fit for grabbing attention.
Here are some key reasons and situations to use animated ads:
→ You want the best performance.
They broadly perform better than static ads. If you’re after stronger results and more engagement then animated ads are the winner.
→ You have a complex offer/solution.
With a complex offer, the extra space animated ads offer is perfect for explaining in more detail.
→ You‘ve got data from static ads.
Having data from other ads helps you start strong with animated ads as you already know what works and what doesn’t. This saves any time and cost testing and let’s you skip to the increased performance.
Static ads have had a good run, but they’re slowly losing their edge. Social feeds are now driven by video, and movement is what captures attention first. Animated ads consistently outperform static ones in almost every area, from engagement and click-through rates to brand recall and memorability.
If your current creative relies heavily on static visuals, now is the time to rethink your approach. Making the switch early keeps you ahead of the curve while competitors are still trying to figure out why their engagement is slipping.
Animated ads aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution, but they’re incredibly effective for certain types of brands. If your product or service is complex, animation gives you more space to explain it clearly without overwhelming your audience.
They also suit brands that think long term. Once you have created a few animated campaigns, you start building a library of reusable elements such as logo animations, product visuals and transitions. This makes every future campaign faster, more affordable and more consistent.
If you’re looking to try animated ads you can test them on a single campaign.
The best time to make the move is when you have gathered enough data from your static ads to know what is working and what isn’t. Once you have validated your message and visuals, animation helps amplify what is already performing well.
It’s also worth making the switch when your static ads start to show signs of fatigue. If click-throughs are dropping or engagement is slowing down, adding motion can breathe new life into your creative without changing your overall strategy.
Moving from static to animated ads takes more than simply adding motion. The best results come when you work with someone who understands both animation and marketing. Animation is a craft, but it is also a strategy.
Start by analysing your existing data to see which visuals and messages are performing best. Then translate those elements into motion with purpose. The goal isn’t to make everything move for the sake of it. It’s to use animation to emphasise what matters most.
It’s completely possible to start with animation from day one, but it works best if you commit to the process. One-off tests rarely tell the full story. You need time to gather data, build reusable assets and learn what resonates with your audience.
If you start, stop and move on too quickly, you’ll miss the long-term benefits that come from refining your motion library and creative direction over time. Give it a few months to evolve. Once you have data and a clear rhythm, that’s when animated ads (and any ads) really start to pay off.
Here are a few mindsets to avoid:
→ Thinking that animation will save a bad ad.
If the message doesn’t hit, no amount of polish will save it. The content is always the most important part of an ad.
→ Thinking that static ads are a waste of money.
As I’ve touched on before, static ads have their place. Don’t discount them for the speed they offer.
→ Thinking that your statics are working okay and you don’t need the extra performance.
On the flip side, just because your static ads are working now, they might not be for long. Social platforms are becoming more and more video led so as time goes on your static ads will become lost.
Static ads aren’t dead, but the landscape is shifting fast. As social platforms continue to prioritise video and motion, animated ads are becoming the new standard for grabbing attention and driving results. Static ads still have their place for testing and quick iterations, but if you want long-term performance and creative that stands out in the feed, animation is the next logical step. The key isn’t choosing one over the other, it’s knowing when and how to use each to get the best return from your campaigns.