You’ve seen them. Even if you don’t know their official name, you’ve definitely seen them. Maybe it was during a dry compliance training on "Cybersecurity in the Workplace" or a quick explainer video for a new HR app. They have those slightly rounded faces, smooth movements, and a look that screams "professional but approachable."
We’re talking about GoAnimate business friendly characters.
Technically, the company is called Vyond now. They rebranded back in 2018 to shake off the "just for kids" vibe of their early years. But for many of us who remember the wild west of early internet animation, they’ll always be the GoAnimate crew. Honestly, these characters have become the unofficial mascots of corporate learning.
The Shift from "Comedy World" to the Office
Back in the day, GoAnimate was a bit of a chaotic playground. You had "Comedy World" characters—those stiff, Family Guy-esque avatars that people used to make "grounded" videos. If you spent any time on YouTube in the early 2010s, you know the ones. They were clunky. They were weird. And businesses hated them.
In March 2012, GoAnimate launched the Business Friendly theme. It changed everything.
Suddenly, you didn't have to look like a poorly drawn cartoon to explain a 401(k) plan. These new characters had no outlines. They were cleaner. They moved with a fluid, "tweened" motion that felt expensive even if you made the video in twenty minutes. It was a game-changer for people who couldn't draw a stick figure but needed to look like a pro.
Why Do We Still Use Them?
It’s 2026. We have AI that can generate photorealistic video from a single text prompt. So why are these 2D puppets still everywhere?
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Basically, it's about "psychological safety."
When you see a GoAnimate business friendly character, your brain doesn't have to work hard. There’s no "uncanny valley" creepiness that you get with some modern AI avatars. They are abstract enough to represent anyone but specific enough to show emotion.
- Customization: You can change their skin tone, hair, and outfit to match your company's actual demographic.
- The Action Library: They have thousands of pre-set actions. Need a character to look "frustrated while holding a tablet"? There’s a button for that.
- Brand Consistency: If you made a video five years ago, you can make one today that looks exactly the same.
Gary Lipkowitz, the CEO who took over after founder Alvin Hung, has talked a lot about "democratizing" animation. The goal wasn't to win an Oscar. It was to make sure a mid-level manager in Des Moines could explain a pivot table without boring their team to tears.
The Great Migration to HTML5
Things got hairy around 2019. Adobe Flash—the engine that powered the original GoAnimate—was dying. Vyond had to move everyone to HTML5, and it wasn't a smooth ride for the purists. They retired the "Legacy Video Maker" (LVM), taking a lot of the old, weird themes with it.
But the Business Friendly style survived.
It was one of the only themes that made the jump to the new Vyond Studio alongside the Whiteboard style. People actually got pretty upset. There was this whole community of creators who felt like the "soul" of the platform was being sold to corporate interests. But from a business perspective? It was the right call. The Business Friendly theme is what keeps the lights on.
The "Grounded Video" Problem
We have to talk about the elephant in the room: Grounded videos.
If you search for these characters on YouTube, you’ll find a subculture of creators who use them to make videos where characters like "Caillou" get grounded for "999,999,999 years." It’s a bizarre corner of the internet. Vyond has tried to distance itself from this for years. They want to be a serious tool for companies like Microsoft or Google, not the engine for surrealist toddler tantrums.
This is why you’ll notice the modern Business Friendly characters in Vyond Studio feel a bit more "locked down" than the old ones. They are designed to be safe.
What You Can Actually Do With Them
If you’re using these characters for marketing or training today, don’t just use the templates. Everyone recognizes the "Standard Office" template.
- Mix Styles: You can actually mix Business Friendly assets with the newer "Contemporary" style if you’re careful. It adds some visual depth.
- Lip Sync: One of the best features is the automated lip-sync. You upload an MP3 of your voice, and the character’s mouth moves perfectly. It’s still one of the most reliable ways to do this without a massive budget.
- Import Your Own Life: You can now import SVGs (Scalable Vector Graphics) and recolor them to match the character’s aesthetic.
Is AI Replacing the Business Friendly Style?
Vyond recently launched "Vyond Go," which uses AI to build the entire video for you. It’s fast. Sorta scary fast. But even with AI doing the heavy lifting, the output is often still those same Business Friendly characters.
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Why? Because they work.
The "flat" design trend has dominated the 2020s. These characters fit right into that. They don't look "old" yet, even though the base designs are over a decade old. They’ve become a visual shorthand for "I am here to give you helpful information."
Actionable Next Steps for Content Creators
If you want to use these characters without looking like a 2014 throwback, here is what you do.
First, stop using the default colors. The Vyond palette is very recognizable. Use your brand’s specific HEX codes for the clothes and props. It instantly makes the video feel custom.
Second, vary the camera angles. Most beginners just keep the character in the center of the screen. Use the "Camera" tool to zoom in for emotional moments or pan across the room. It breaks the "static" feel of the animation.
Finally, focus on the script. A GoAnimate business friendly character is just a puppet. If your script is boring, the animation won't save it. Use a conversational tone—like you're talking to a friend—and let the character’s pre-set "actions" do the emphasizing for you.
Start by opening the Character Creator and building a "core" cast for your brand. Don't just use the stock people. Create five or six characters that look like your actual team. When your audience sees the same faces across different videos, it builds a sense of continuity that you just can't get with random stock footage.
The era of GoAnimate might be technically over, but the "Business Friendly" legacy is basically the standard for how we communicate in the modern office. It's not going anywhere.