Final Thoughts

Zendesk’s motion system was always about more than just animation—it was about storytelling. And by grounding our work in clarity, intentionality, and brand values, we gave every frame a reason to move.

Evolving With the Work

As we created new assets, we treated every project as a test bed. We updated our motion documentation frequently, expanding our guidelines based on what we learned in the field. It wasn’t just about making rules—it was about making space for better, faster, more thoughtful motion.

Adapting to New Needs

The refresh leaned heavily on illustration—but with only one in-house cel animator (who was mostly our lead designer), we had to get creative. Mary Vertulfo largely shaped our character sequences, and Colin Thomas developed After Effects workarounds to mimic cel-like moments when time or budget didn’t allow for frame-by-frame.

Shoutout to Olenka Malarecka our in-house illustrator who imagined the entire illustration system.

Honoring the Brand

Zendesk has a long history of charming, approachable motion. As we grew into a more mature enterprise brand, we needed our motion to evolve, too. While we didn’t want to lose our warmth, we began to emphasize confidence, clarity, and polish—all while staying generous in how we guided the viewer.

That meant tighter transitions, more intentional staging, and subtler flourishes. Every decision was deliberate.

Rules for Consistency

Next came the motion principles. We documented clear rules around transitions, type animation, easing curves, and visual pacing. Every animation was designed to guide the viewer’s eye with strong eye trace and elegant phrasing, always in service of the story.

These standards were flexible enough to support storytelling across product explainers, brand videos, and social—but strict enough to keep everything feeling like “Zendesk.”