Case Study: STAYWELL & Advids - Compliance Training Video For Integrated Patient And Staff Wellness

Summary

This case study details the partnership between StayWell and Advids to create a 2.5-minute 2D motion graphics video. The project's core challenge was to market a diverse portfolio of health-tech and corporate wellness products—each with a different target audience—in a single, cohesive narrative for a major industry trade show. Advids implemented its "Clarity & Engagement Framework" to develop a unified visual language and character-driven story, successfully bridging the gap between clinical-facing technology and corporate wellness solutions.

The Challenge

StayWell needed a flagship video for the HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) conference. Their portfolio was diverse, including:

1. Krames On FHIR: A technical, clinical patient-education tool integrated directly into Electronic Health Records for doctors and IT staff.
2. My StayWell Platform: A people-focused corporate wellness and engagement platform for Human Resources and benefits managers.
3. StayWell VR: A cutting-edge virtual reality wellness tool.

The challenge was to create one video that could speak to both a hospital Chief Information Officer and a corporate Human Resources Vice President without confusing either audience or diluting the brand message.

The Solution

Advids developed a character-driven 2D motion graphics explainer that established a single, unified "StayWell" visual universe. By using a consistent and friendly vector illustration style for all characters (doctors, IT staff, corporate employees), the video created a seamless narrative flow. The video strategically segmented its content, using clear kinetic typography and smooth transitions to guide the viewer from the clinical environment to the corporate office, all while feeling like part of one cohesive brand.

Client Profile

StayWell (a WebMD company) is a health engagement company that helps organizations improve employee well-being and patient education. Their solutions combine technology, content, and expert coaching to drive better health outcomes.

Project Objective

To create a single, engaging 2D explainer video to debut at a major industry conference, clearly communicating the value of StayWell's three primary product lines to their distinct target audiences.

The Advids Clarity & Engagement Framework

For this project, Advids utilized its specialized 2D motion graphics workflow, which prioritizes narrative clarity and brand cohesion. This framework involves translating complex ideas into clear, engaging vector-based visuals, with a strong emphasis on strategic scripting, fluid keyframe animation, and dynamic kinetic typography to simplify and explain.

Project at a Glance

Project Timeline

1. Kickoff & Strategic Alignment (Week 1)
   • Milestone: Project kickoff and script analysis.
   • Key Outputs: Initial creative brief, identifying the dual-audience challenge.
   • Quote: "We need to connect with an IT admin and an HR manager in the same video. How do we make that feel natural?"

2. Visual Strategy & Storyboarding (Week 2)
   • Milestone: Storyboard development and initial style frame concepts.
   • Key Outputs: Storyboard_Full_v1.pdf.
   • Quote: "The first animatic feels a bit disjointed, like two separate videos. Can we unify the look and feel more?"

3. The Critical Juncture: Brand Alignment (Week 3)
   • Milestone: Development of the unified visual strategy.
   • Key Outputs: Style_Frames_Unified_V3.png (presenting the new, consistent character style). This is approved.

4. Asset Creation & Animatics (Week 4)
   • Milestone: Creation of all vector-illustrated characters, icons, and backgrounds.
   • Key Outputs: Animatic_Segment_A_Krames_v1.mp4, Animatic_Segment_B_Platform_v1.mp4.

5. Keyframe Animation & Motion Design (Week 5-6)
   • Milestone: Full animation production, including character movement, transitions, and kinetic typography.
   • Key Outputs: Video draft V1 for review.
   • Quote: "The new unified character style works perfectly. The flow from the hospital to the office is seamless."

6. Sound Design & Final Mastering (Week 7)
   • Milestone: Selection of music, addition of sound effects, and final video mastering.
   • Key Outputs: Final video file delivered.

The Production Deep Dive: From Abstract Concepts to Engaging Animation

Phase 1: Visual Strategy: The Brand Alignment Challenge

Goal: To solve the core strategic problem: unifying two distinct product messages for two different audiences.

Process: The project's critical juncture came at the visual strategy phase. The "Krames On FHIR" product is technical and data-driven, while the "My StayWell Platform" is human-centric and emotional. Our initial storyboards treated them as separate, which the client noted felt disjointed.

Workflow Action: The Advids creative team developed a new unified visual strategy. This strategy dictated that all human characters—whether the doctor at 00:29, the IT admin at 00:54, or the corporate employees at 01:08—would be created in the exact same friendly, approachable vector illustration style. This created a cohesive "StayWell" world. The segments were differentiated by color palette and setting, but the human element provided a consistent brand thread, turning a potential weakness into a narrative strength.

(IMG ASSET 3)

(Timestamp: 108s) The "Happier" employees scene, a key outcome of the "My StayWell Platform," which uses the same unified character style seen in the "Krames" clinical segment.

Feedback Loop: Unifying a Diverse Visual Language

• Client: "We've reviewed the first animatic on Vimeo Review. The content is all there, but the 'Krames' segment feels very technical, and the 'My StayWell' part feels very corporate. It doesn't quite feel like one single brand story."
• Advids: "That's a great point. We see it too. We propose a new visual strategy, Style_Frames_Unified_V3.png. We'll use one consistent character illustration style across all segments. This will make the doctor in the hospital and the employee in the office feel like they are part of the same 'StayWell' family. It will unify the entire message."
• Client: "That's the perfect solution. Let's move forward with that."

Phase 2: Vector Illustration and Asset Creation

Goal: To build the visual library of characters, icons, and environments based on the approved unified strategy.

Process: With the unified style locked, the Advids illustration team built a comprehensive library of vector assets. This included the primary characters (doctors, IT staff, meditating employees, wellness challenge winners) and the extensive icon library needed to visualize abstract concepts like "budgets," "compliance," "data," and "apps."

Workflow Action: Every asset was optimized for animation, with clean vector paths and separated layers to allow for smooth and efficient rigging and movement in the next phase.

Phase 3: Animation, Motion Design, and Kinetic Typography

Goal: To bring the assets to life, focusing on clear communication and seamless transitions.

Process: This phase was about execution. The Advids animation team focused on two key areas:

1. Clear Storytelling: Animating complex technical benefits. For the "Krames" product, this meant showing how it integrated, not just that it did.
2. Kinetic Typography: Using animated text as a primary storytelling device to deliver key, punchy messages.

Feedback Loop: Clarifying Technical Integration

• Client: "For the 'Krames On FHIR' segment, it's critical that our IT audience understands this isn't another app they have to install. The 'FHIR' integration is the whole point."
• Advids: "We agree. To make this benefit explicit, we will add two new animated sequences: one showing 'In existing EHR workflows' (00:34) and a second sequence (00:49-00:52) that clearly animates 'No Additional Apps,' 'No Additional Log-ins,' and 'No Changes to Workflow.' This will make the value proposition impossible to miss."
• Client: "That's exactly what it needs. Excellent."

(IMG ASSET 1)

(Timestamp: 34s) The animation clarifying the "Krames On FHIR" product integrates directly into existing "EHR workflows," a key technical benefit.

(IMG ASSET 2)

(Timestamp: 52s) The "No Changes to Workflow" icon, part of a kinetic typography sequence designed to communicate technical benefits clearly.

Workflow Action: The animators also focused heavily on kinetic typography to drive home key messages. Sequences like "TIME ↓ STRESS ↑" (00:13) and "Powerful DATA -> FUTURE WELLNESS STRATEGIES" (01:32) used text motion to add energy and emphasis, transforming simple statements into memorable visual hooks.

(Timestamp: 132s) A prime example of kinetic typography, where Advids animated text to explain the connection between data and strategy.

Technology Meets Visualization Craft

This project exemplifies the balance between creative strategy and technical execution in 2D animation.

• Technology-Powered Contributions:
  • Vector Illustration: Allowed for scalable, brand-consistent assets that could be used from the small screen of a phone to a large conference display.
  • 2D Animation Suite: Enabled complex keyframe animation, fluid character movements, and dynamic text effects that are impossible in static design.

• Advids’ Visualization Craft (Human Expertise):
  • Strategic Problem-Solving: Identifying the "disjointed" narrative (The Critical Juncture) and proposing a creative, brand-centric solution (the unified character style).
  • Script-to-Visual Translation: The Advids team's expertise in taking complex, technical concepts (like FHIR integration) and translating them into simple, clear, and engaging visual metaphors (like the "No Additional Apps" sequence).
  • Brand Stewardship: Acting as a brand guardian to ensure that even with three different products and two different audiences, the final video felt like it came from one single, cohesive, and confident brand.

Outcomes & Strategic Learnings

• Unified Brand-Message Delivery: The final video successfully bridged the gap between StayWell's clinical and corporate product lines. The unified visual language allowed the company to present a holistic brand front at the HIMSS conference.
• Clear Communication of Value: The video's direct approach to visualizing technical benefits (like the "No Changes to Workflow" sequence) and emotional outcomes (like the "Happier" employees) provided clear, distinct value propositions for each target audience.
• High-Value, Reusable Assets: The comprehensive library of vector-illustrated characters and icons created by Advids became a valuable creative asset for StayWell, available for use in future videos, web content, and marketing materials.
• The Power of a Unified Visual Strategy: The key learning was the importance of the "Brand Alignment Challenge." By solving this strategic issue first, the technical production process was streamlined, and the final product was far more effective than a video that simply tacked different segments together.

Final Video