Explainer Animation for Shared Ownership – A Collaboration with The Guinness Partnership
This engaging explainer animation was produced in close collaboration with The Guinness Partnership and Pearl Comms, with the goal of demystifying and promoting the shared ownership homebuying route to a wide audience. Created as part of a digital campaign, the project centred on a 60-second hero animation supported by multiple cut-down versions optimised for various aspect ratios and social media formats. These edits ensured seamless distribution across platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, maximising engagement and accessibility.
Supporting First-Time Buyers Through Animation
The Guinness Partnership is a well-established national housing provider with developments across the UK. Their mission is to make high-quality, affordable housing available to more people. A central part of their offering is the shared ownership scheme, which provides a more accessible route into homeownership, especially for first-time buyers.
However, shared ownership can be misunderstood. Many prospective buyers are unfamiliar with how it works, who it’s for, and what the long-term benefits are. High house prices, confusing terminology, and a lack of clear information often deter people from considering this option. That’s where our explainer animation played a key role: helping break down complex ideas into simple, engaging visual storytelling.
Purpose and Objectives of the Animation
The goals of the explainer animation were multifaceted and audience-focused:
To educate prospective buyers about the shared ownership model and how it works in practice.
To debunk common myths around the scheme, such as who qualifies or whether it’s a temporary solution.
To highlight affordability, particularly for people who feel excluded from the property market due to rising costs.
To simplify the buyer journey, showing what to expect from initial enquiry to moving in.
To emphasise the flexibility of shared ownership, including the ability to increase one’s share over time and eventually own the home outright.
Creative Approach and Style
We used a clean, modern animation style paired with friendly, jargon-free language to ensure the film was welcoming and easy to understand. Through a combination of clear visual metaphors, expressive character animation, and effective kinetic typography, the explainer animation maintained viewer interest while delivering important details.
Our design choices were carefully considered to appeal to a wide demographic. We featured diverse characters, inclusive settings, and housing visuals that reflect real communities. The tone of voice was intentionally reassuring and informative, striking a balance between authority and approachability.
Key Shared Ownership Messages in the Film
Throughout the explainer animation, the following key points were communicated:
Shared ownership allows you to buy a share of your home, typically between 25% and 75%, depending on what you can afford.
You pay rent on the portion you don’t own, making monthly costs often lower than market rent.
Deposits are significantly smaller, calculated only on the share you’re buying, rather than the full property value.
Over time, you can increase your share, eventually owning 100% of the home, if you choose.
Shared ownership offers a realistic and affordable alternative for people who may not be able to buy outright.
Optimised for Multi-Platform Use
To ensure the animation reached its target audience wherever they consume content, we produced multiple versions optimised for digital distribution. This included aspect ratios of 16:9 (widescreen), 1:1 (square for feeds), and 9:16 (vertical for Stories and Reels). Each version was tailored to maintain visual integrity, clarity, and impact across all platforms.
Results and Client Value
The final animation became a central asset in The Guinness Partnership’s digital marketing toolkit. It was used across social channels, embedded on property listing pages, and included in outreach emails to first-time buyers and housing advisors. As a result, the animation helped raise awareness of shared ownership, clarify the application process, and reduce the number of queries caused by misunderstandings.
This project reflects the power of explainer animation in making complex topics clear and compelling. By combining motion design, storytelling, and educational messaging, we were able to deliver a piece that not only looked great but performed effectively in a real-world housing context.
We are proud to support organisations like The Guinness Partnership in their mission to make homeownership more accessible, and we continue to develop animation content that drives engagement, builds trust, and supports public understanding, all from our office in Southampton, Hampshire.
To find out more about shared ownership and explore available properties, visit The Guinness Partnership.
To view other examples of our explainer animation work, visit our Portfolio.