If you really want to see some cool and unique animation work, click the link and go check them out. I recently did a project over them for my motion graphics  class. They start off using a pen, paper, and pencil to create the story. Once that is completed they take it and put it into the animation software of choice. One man runs the business, but he contracts out freelance designers with the same vision and creativity but has their own style. He believes a story is an organic, original thing and it needs to be created in that way. 

'Dinner' for Halls

Some great work out of XYZ Studios that won an armful of awards

http://xyzstudios.com/againstallodds/tongueseyeballs-for-coke-zero/