If you're a brand, creator, business or marketing agency after video content that actually shifts the needle, you've come to the right place. We've rounded up six London-based 2D animation studios (ourselves included, obviously) that know how to deliver engagement, clarity, and real results. From explainer videos and motion graphics to storytelling pieces and logo animation, these lot have got the range, the style, and the expertise to match whatever budget and goals you're working with.

1. Trendy Grandad

Right then, we'll kick things off. We're Trendy Grandad, a London animation studio and video production outfit making content that doesn't just exist, but actually does something. Explainer videos, bold animations, social content. Basically, we create the stuff that makes people stop scrolling and pay attention.

Our team's a mix of animators, illustrators, editors, and motion designers who know their stuff inside out. We make videos that grab eyeballs, spark engagement, and shift the needle for brands, businesses, and creators who give a toss about their audience. YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, wherever your lot are hanging about, we've got you covered.

And no, we're not all style and no substance (though yes, our visuals are bloody gorgeous). We kick things off with strategy, working out what you actually need, what you're trying to say, and how your brand ticks. Then we bring it to life with proper storytelling, slick motion graphics, and a healthy dose of data to back it all up.

Need a punchy explainer? Scroll-stopping Shorts? A full marketing campaign that doesn't make people cringe? We blend creativity, video SEO, and smart design to help your channel grow and your content actually perform. Simple as.

2. Blue Zoo Animation Studio

Blue Zoo's been around the block. They're an established studio producing 2D and 3D animation work. They handle episodic TV content, commercials, short videos, and character-driven pieces across the board.

They've recently expanded with a dedicated 2D animation studio in London to keep up with demand, which tells you something about how they're operating. Their portfolio leans heavily into storytelling and character development, particularly for children's audiences (pre-school through to older kids), though they've got work that crosses age groups too.

There's a balance between high production quality and understanding what clients need: audience growth, brand identity, commercial results, lead generation. They know the brief goes beyond nice visuals.

3. Studio AKA

Studio AKA's reputation is built on artistry, design, and originality. They're the sort of studio that wins awards and gets noticed for it.

Their projects span TV shows, commercials, short films, and title sequences. They work mostly in 2D with strong character design, sometimes mixing in motion graphics depending on the project. The storytelling's sharp, and their design identity is distinct. You can usually tell when something's theirs.

They've picked up BAFTAs, Emmys, and plenty of recognition over the years, which suggests they've got the quality, process, and communication side of things sorted. If you need animation that carries a message with weight and craft, they've got the track record.

4. Hocus Pocus Studio

Hocus Pocus is a London-based studio that focuses on explainer videos, brand films, and commercials, so there's some overlap with what we do, to be fair.

They work across 2D animation (frame-by-frame, character-led stuff) and occasionally bring in live action, CGI, or VFX when the project calls for it. Their visuals are clean and creative, and they understand that clarity matters when you're trying to get a message across to an audience.

Their process involves bringing clients into the mix early (feedback, concept development, style direction, design) so the tone and identity land properly. It's a sensible approach if you want something tailored.

5. Grizzle

Grizzle operates out of London and Sheffield, working across both 2D and 3D animation with a decent range in their portfolio.

They do motion design, music videos, promos, CG work, and 2D shorts, often fusing live-action or stylised elements into the mix. Their storytelling tends to lean visual and emotional, which works for certain types of projects.

They can adapt style to fit the brand message, audience, budget, and impact you're after. Whether it's a campaign piece or a brand film, they bring production discipline and creative chops to the table.

6. Passion Pictures

Passion Pictures is one of the bigger names in the London animation scene. They're a full-service production and animation company with serious reach.

They handle animation, commercials, feature film work, motion graphics, and live-action hybrid content. Their methods vary (2D, stylised animation, mixed media), and their team of animators and creative directors can take on ambitious projects with strong narrative and messaging requirements.

Service levels are high, and they've got the established process and big-budget visuals to back it up.

Key Factors to Consider & How to Choose

When deciding which studio is the best fit, here are some things worth keeping in mind:

Define your goals. Do you need brand awareness, engagement, leads, or sales? An explainer video or a full campaign? Start there, then match to those goals.

Check portfolios. Look for quality, consistency, style, storytelling. A portfolio with strong 2D explainer videos or motion graphics tells you a lot about how a studio handles message, visuals, and audience.

Understand process & feedback. How flexible is the studio during revisions? Do they let you have input on script, storyboarding, animation, revisions, sound, logo identity, etc.? Clarity in process means less friction down the line.

Style & identity match. Every studio has a style. Do you want sharp, minimalist motion graphics? Hand-drawn frame animation? Or more illustrative, character-led explainer style? Pick a studio whose style aligns with your brand identity so there's less reworking later.

Budget vs value. Animation isn't cheap, especially high-quality 2D or 3D. But you're often paying not just for visuals, but expertise, production, concept, storytelling, sound, and post-production. A cheap studio that delivers low quality may cost you more in the long run in terms of lost audience or poor engagement.

Audience & platform. If your video content is mainly for YouTube, Instagram, social platforms, or TV, pick a studio familiar with how to optimise for those spaces. The format, length, pacing, visuals, titles, thumbnails, even voice-over style can vary depending on platform and the audience's attention span.

Conclusion

London's got plenty of animation studios to choose from, and we've given you a fair rundown. But finding the right studio for your brand isn't just about nice visuals or a decent portfolio. It's about finding someone who gets your goals, understands your audience, and can actually move the needle.

If you want content that's built on strategy, delivers real performance, and doesn't just look pretty but actually does something, that's what we do at Trendy Grandad. We're not here to waste your time or ours. We create video content and animations that grab attention, spark engagement, and get results.

So have a look around, watch the showreels, ask the questions. But if you're serious about content that performs, not just content that exists, let's talk.

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