Commercial Videos
TV spots, YouTube pre-roll ads, Facebook video ads and more
What are commercial video ads and why use them?
A video advertisement, like those you see on TV or the Internet, is a short (60 seconds or less, but ideally 30 seconds) branding-oriented video that promotes your company, product or service. A commercial video is inherently high level and should not dive into the details of what you do and how you do it, like an explainer video would.
An advertisement is meant to grab attention, garner interest, and get people excited about what you do. It’s a teaser designed to draw in potential customers. If you’re working on online-only content, we think a digital ad campaign is one of the best ways to really spread your brand message and also make the most of your video efforts.
When and how should I use video advertising?
A video ad should be used at the top of the funnel. They’re most useful for generating awareness and excitement for a product or service. We suggest foregoing television, and posting your ads on YouTube, Facebook, and other social media channels in the form of a digital ad campaign. Just keep in mind, to get traction, you’ll likely need to invest some marketing dollars to promote your spot. Don’t expect an overnight viral sensation.
“AMA worked with us to capture the essence of our company in a beautiful and powerful about us video.”
Doug Bradbury
8th Light
What are some characteristics of a commercial video?
- 30 seconds or less
- High level branding content
- Generates buzz and excitement
- Motivating call-to-action
- Share-worthy
How does AMA create a concept for an advertisement?
Coming up with a concept for a video ad spot is one of the more fun and exciting jobs we get to do around here. An ad has one purpose, and that’s to get people excited about your product or service. That means our team needs to get excited too and develop creative ideas that grab attention and resonate with your audience. It starts with experiencing the product or service first-hand, truly understanding your market and customers, and developing fresh, creative concepts that balance creative and strategy.
How do you measure success for a commercial ad?
Unlike most video content, view count is one of the leading indicators of success when it comes to commercials. If no one is seeing it, the ad doesn’t have a chance to do it’s intended job. Like we mentioned earlier, getting a significant number of views may require allocating some budget towards promoting your spot. Once views are up, keep an eye on engagement to see how much of your ad people are watching. For a short 15-30 second spot, engagement rates should be around 80%-90%.
How much does a commercial ad cost?
Depending on the style and complexity, a commercial video production typically costs between $25,00-$50,000. Budget factors include: style and complexity of the video, length of video, where you anticipate the spot airing, licensing fees for music and talent, etc. If you’re working on a series of videos for your commercial ad campaign, the per video price may be reduced as you increase the number of videos in that production cycle.
How long does a commercial ad take to create?
Because commercial ads are meant to grab attention, they often require additional time for production. For example, our spot for CertainTEED required 3D environments and characters, while ClubWPT had a live shoot plus 3D animation done in post. All of these things take time, but you can plan for 6-12 weeks.
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