10 cinema-grade product explainers

Most of the video explainers live on the very first loop of onboarding.

On this loop, they have a rather promotional nature and aim to convince you to try a product by explaining how it works. "This is for you" should be read between the lines and frames in such videos.

Other explainers can also live on the second loop — after you sign up.

If so, they have a more onboarding nature and guide you in taking the first steps inside the product. "This is how you move forward" is the main message for post-signup explainers.

As everything in Embrace Variety, the videos below are those that convince.

WeTransfer

To warm up, let's start with an exception.
"What is Net neutrality by WeTransfer" explains a concept, not a product itself. It's more of a music video that still promotes WeTransfer. Sweet and hope-evoking. To compare an explainer vs pure promo video, here is a 100% promo. Dynamic and short.

Zendesk

To compare more promo and more walkthrough explainers, here is a duo from the same brand:

• "Introducing Zendesk Sunshine" is more of a promo, but still very clear narrative of what it is and when you need it;
• "Zendesk Demo: The Basics"— no-fireworks how-it-works.

Gitlab

"What is GitLab?" can serve as a reference if someone asks, "What is an explainer?" It's 100% classic format. But more beautiful than an average explainer. The way they incorporated product UI deserves a rewatch.

Github

"What is GitHub?" is another classic structure in a masterful videography and animation. A level up from what Gitlab did. Just look how the yo-yo toy turns into branching! I also liked their Marvel-movie-like ending.

Discord

Their recently released Orbs explainer has an absolutely different vibe from a more classic "How Discord Works in 148,000 Milliseconds or Less".
As an explainer, the Orbs video does its job beautifully. Whether it's the right move for a communication app to turn into a gaming platform is a different question.

Grammarly

"Make the grade with Grammarly" is a warm, human video that creates an impression of how simple and accessible the product is. Regular people in their everyday struggles.

How about Web3?

A good-quality product explainer in Web3 is a rare find. I found only two worth mentioning here.

Helium

What is Helium? Glad you asked. Human, accessible, dynamic. Although a bit too long, but explains the product in full.

Nouns

This is our cherry on the cake!
This is Nouns is super fun and makes Web3 feel accessible for everyone. By the way, the mentioned quote for the video is 115 ETH, which was approximately 140K USD as of the date of the proposal submission. Good things take not only time ;)

Our video explainer show ends here.

I hope you'll remember this list when you decide that it's time to tell people about your product in 1 minute or less.

Have a lovely weekend,
Ira

P.S. This was our second "cinema visit" in EV. If you missed the first "cinematic" issue, here it is:

Ad Eaters

EV #016

Embrace VarietyIra Nezhynska