As Head of Production at a studio that’s built its reputation on turning abstract ideas into vivid, accessible stories, I’ve seen firsthand how motion graphics can do what traditional media often can’t: distill complexity into clarity, and spark action through visual storytelling.
One of our most recent collaborations—a vibrant, infographic-driven explainer video for Portland General Electric (PGE)—is a perfect case study in the power of motion design to connect, educate, and inspire.
The Challenge: Make Energy Usage Relatable
PGE came to us with a critical challenge: how do you talk to the public about energy infrastructure and climate action without losing them in technical jargon or dry policy talk?
They wanted to promote community-based energy conservation during peak demand hours—but “peak demand,” “load balancing,” and “grid strain” aren’t exactly dinner table topics. Their audience was everyday Oregonians—people busy living their lives, not looking to get a crash course in energy economics.
What PGE needed wasn’t just a video. They needed a way to:
- Raise awareness of peak energy use and why it matters.
- Offer clear, simple actions viewers could take.
- Motivate participation in energy-saving programs—all while keeping it visually engaging and emotionally resonant.
We approached this project with one mantra: keep it colorful, simple, and impactful.
The final video is a kaleidoscope of clean design, thoughtful motion, and intuitive infographics. Bright shapes and text animations guide the viewer through the core concepts in seconds. We broke down the script into narrative beats and visual metaphors:
- A graphic showing rising energy use during peak times.
- Appliances subtly moving from day to night settings to indicate shifting habits.
- And finally, community-wide graphics showing participation as a growing, colorful movement across Oregon.
Everything was designed to be instantly understandable, while subtly nudging viewers to act—not out of guilt, but from a sense of shared purpose.
The Results: A Message That Resonates
By combining motion graphics with a script rooted in optimism and collective impact, PGE was able to:
- Boost signups for their energy programs.
- Create a memorable PSA-style campaign with broad appeal.
- Position themselves as a forward-thinking utility provider with a pulse on what real people care about: sustainability, community, and legacy.
What Your Brand Can Learn From This
If you’re trying to communicate something that feels too dense, too technical, or too invisible to your audience—motion graphics might be your secret weapon.
Whether you’re in energy, healthcare, finance, or tech, there’s a story buried in your data. We can help you bring it to life with:
- Visual language that simplifies and inspires
- Animation that guides the eye and mind
- Narrative that speaks human, not corporate
In a time when attention spans are shrinking and people crave meaning, motion graphics bridge the gap between information and emotion.
Growth Operators Case Study:
When Growth Operators came to us, they had a bold ambition: to show the world that Finance and HR aren’t just back-office functions—they’re growth engines. Their new tool, nextLEVEL, does exactly that. It helps middle-market companies transform core business operations into scalable value drivers.
The challenge? Explaining that complex process in a way that feels powerful, looks premium, and lands clearly in under two minutes.
That’s where we stepped in—melding stock footage, slick 2D/3D motion graphics, and elegant UI storytelling into a sharp, modern launch video that captures the essence of the product.
What the Client Needed
Growth Operators was targeting:
- C-suite executives at middle-market companies
- Private equity sponsors managing multiple portfolio businesses
These audiences move fast. They’re fluent in KPIs, ROI, and dashboards—but they don’t have time for complexity. Our mission was to translate nextLEVEL’s deep functionality into a high-level story that immediately communicates its value.
Our Creative Approach
To bring this to life, we blended three key visual strategies:
Stock Footage of Real People
We used cinematic, thoughtfully chosen footage of real professionals in real-world settings—interviews, team collaboration, leadership moments—to humanize the brand. These visuals signaled trust, professionalism, and relevance. It gave viewers a mirror: this platform is built for teams like yours.
Slick Graphics and Infographics
We leaned into modern motion design to communicate process and clarity:
- Branded iconography
- Seamless transitions between topics
- Animations that mirrored platform logic (like flow diagrams and prioritization frameworks)
These graphics weren’t decorative—they were functional. Every movement told part of the story.
3D Device Renders
To showcase nextLEVEL’s live, cloud-based reporting, we modeled realistic 3D devices—laptops, tablets, and mobile phones—with on-screen UI simulations. This made the platform feel real, interactive, and high-value. We didn’t just talk about the dashboard—we let viewers see it in action, from multiple angles.
Why It Worked
This hybrid style—part human, part digital—was the perfect solution for Growth Operators. It communicated:
- Professionalism through polished live-action visuals
- Innovation through motion design
- Technical depth via animated dashboards and dimensional spider charts
- Trust through real-world, relatable context
All while keeping the video under two minutes and laser-focused on the message: Finance and HR are your next big growth drivers.
The End Result?
A versatile asset that works across:
- Landing pages
- Sales presentations
- Investor decks
- LinkedIn campaigns
- Event booths
And more importantly—it worked. Growth Operators now has a branded visual identity that matches the ambition of nextLEVEL, and a tool to help them convert awareness into action.
