Indie Content Creators: Jaiden Animations
With over 11 million YouTube subscribers and over a dozen videos with views that number beyond 30 million, it would not be an exaggeration to say the Jaiden Animations YouTube channel is one that truly stands out amongst other channels that provide the same, personalized video essay content. This unique quality is achieved by a combination of factors that only serve to elevate Jaiden Animations’ personal brand and style.
The first, most obvious creative element of these videos is the animation. In her videos, which range from seven-to-twenty minutes, there is usually a personal story narrated and entirely animated by Jaiden. This story is often a humorous one, with the style of comedy often being situational. Additionally, because these stories are always personal, Jaiden uses the same character to represent herself in these videos. The personal stories told in these videos work in tandem with the consistent animation of Jaiden’s painting a friendly picture of who Jaiden is as a creator. It is easy for an audience to resonate with a creator as candid and down-to-earth as Jaiden Animations.
Another unique draw for the viewers is the variety of topics Jaiden discusses in the stories she tells. A Jaiden Animations story can range from a group project gone wrong, to advice on how to avoid burn-out, to a review of an obscure video game. What is most interesting about this range are the differences in specificity. It is safe to assume that more people, in general, have experienced an unsuccessful group project than have attempted Nuzlocke runs of Pokemon Ruby. Jaiden Animations’ videos bridge this gap. By having a consistent, unique narrative style, Jaiden allows the audience to remain curious about her content regardless of its subject matter. The draw for the audience comes not only from the subject matter of the video but the literal storytelling style of Jaiden Animations.
The final and most interesting aspect of Jaiden Animations’ success is the way in which Jaiden has become a much more involved member of the Pokémon and speed running communities. She has entered collaborations with other content creators who are unique specialists in the gaming-related subjects they cover. This leads to some interesting collaborations with creators like WolfeyVGC, a world champion in competitive Pokémon. What makes these collaborations most interesting is the fact that Jaiden Animations often has a specific purpose and subject behind her collaborations, while other collaborations often offer a generalized set of challenges or questions. By being true to her niche interests, she remains authentic to her audience, and that’s the most powerful draw of her videos.
