The term whiteboard animation comes from the process of someone drawing on a whiteboard and recording it.
The style has been used a few times in TV spots. The first, though very different from the current style, were the UPS Whiteboard Commercials. Many companies and firms of all sectors and sizes are incorporating this style into their modus operandi.
For educational purposes, whiteboard animation videos have been used to learn languages, teach company employees different company policies, demonstrate a new software or product to consumers, or are used as chapter summaries for educational textbooks.