Great Promo Videos & Advertisement Examples
Looking at advertisement examples is usually the best inspiration to create your own. And there is a whole lot to choose from – some brands use humor, others rely on their reputation, and some will try more visually striking techniques.
But the best promotional videos all have a few things in common—They hook you quickly, draw you in, and deliver a clear message. That’s what sets promo videos apart from informational and other videos. There are endless ways to execute those features, and that’s where it gets fun!
We have many promotional advertising examples to show you, but first, let’s take a closer look at why video promo is necessary for success in modern digital marketing.
Why Video Promo Works
87% of businesses use video in their marketing, a sharp increase from 63% in 2017. But as we all know, because ‘everybody’s doing it isn’t really a good reason. But when 83% of marketers now say that video gives them a good ROI, we take them at their word.
Promotional videos work so well because they combine existing user behavior with an enhanced message delivery platform. You don’t have to convince anybody to watch videos—they do so naturally every day at an increasing rate. Additionally, you can do so much more from a visual, audible, and creative standpoint with a video than an image. Combine the two forces, and you have a powerful tool in your marketing toolbox.
Multiple channels
Distribution channels play a significant role in the making of the best promo videos – there’s simply no success in advertising without reach. In the Golden Age of television, we only had three or four channels to host our commercials, and they were essential all the same.
We have YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn… And the list goes on. There are also different spots to feature promotional videos for businesses inside each platform. For instance, you can run six-second bumper ads on YouTube or create a series of videos that tell a longer story.
Effectiveness
Video ads have also surpassed image-only ads in terms of effectiveness. According to Databox, almost 60% of marketers said video promo tends to drive more engagement.
Trust
Creating promo videos can also help you build trust with your audience. 57% of consumers report that videos give them more confidence to buy online.
Whichever way you slice it, there has never been a better time to invest in video marketing than now!
If you feel like you need a bit of background in video marketing before we get to the examples, check out Video Marketing 101, our complete guide to everything you need to know about promotional videos.
How much does it cost to make a promotional video?
Before you get super inspired to start making them, we thought we’d give you a little context regarding cost. A standard promotional video will end up costing somewhere between $39 – $50,000 depending on, but not limited to, quality and length. Because so many factors can determine how much your promo video will end up costing, we recommend taking a minute to fully understand all of these influences. We outlined each in a comprehensive article for your convenience.
Of course, the cost can be kept low when you use a method like Promo.com to create your product promo videos.
Video promo examples
Let’s get into it—Here are some examples of video advertisement examples that work exceptionally well for their target audiences and for sure will get you great results in 2021:
M&S food
Why it works
We’ve seen a lot of food and restaurant advertisement examples, and this is seriously one of the best promotional videos we have ever seen. The visuals are stunning and really pop right off the screen.
The promo video starts with a black background, which creates a sense of visual disruption in the newsfeed since most social networks use a light theme. Then, notice what happens at the two-second mark:
BAM! You get a literal explosion of color. This is a perfect example of something that ALL promotional videos should do:
Hook the viewer in the first three seconds.
We know we’ve mentioned putting a hook early in your videos before, but it’s so important, and we see many videos that don’t execute well on this best practice. From there, M&S takes the audience on a colorful extravaganza, transitioning smoothly from random color explosions to actual food products.
The pace and content of the ad match the food preparation process — Individual ingredients at the beginning that are used to create complete dishes by the end. And don’t underestimate the choice of music in this video.
The ad provides modern, upbeat music that pops with the same energy and timing as the visual elements. While the ad showcases a diverse range of ingredients and cuisine, everything appears fresh and healthy. The captions support the wholesome vibe of the visuals and appear to be aimed at brand awareness. Learn how to add subtitles to a video and how to add music to video to make an impact like this one!
Starbucks
Why it works
Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last 20 years, you’ve likely heard of Starbucks.
As an internationally renowned brand, Starbucks is well past the brand awareness phase, and this video reflects that. Rather than promote a sale or a new product—which they produce plenty of, as well—Starbucks took this opportunity to promote their corporate social responsibility.
While its introductory hook is subtle, it’s still present in the first three seconds. “We drank a lot of coffee last year” is a highly relatable statement. The audience is primed to hang around and hear the actual figure, effectively drawing them into the video.
The music, which could be described as heartwarming, hints that the video will cover something positive. Additionally, it sounds nothing like the soundtrack of typical corporate video examples, which is a good thing in this case! Extending on its efforts to be relatable, Starbucks has started mixing in user-generated content from their employees—just like other testimonial video examples that resemble viewer-friendly content we all have on our phones.
They use quick-cut transitions to keep things moving and split screens to showcase a diverse range of content. Starbucks really brings it home by transitioning its message and visuals from the individual level to the community, which allows them to showcase its efforts toward sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
Lastly, they close with notes of gratitude for their customers. This is an excellent example of how brands can use a company promotional video for things other than brand awareness and product marketing.
Hostelworld
Why it works
Many of the best promo videos feature celebrity endorsement with a twist! Charlie Sheen is notorious for generating negative press, and hostels have a reputation for poor living conditions, irresponsible tenants, etc. Hostelworld chooses to address these misconceptions head-on using a series of allegories to Charlie Sheen’s perceived bad behavior.
The hook is original, well-executed, and fits the target demographic just right. Additionally, each video is only 15 seconds long, which gives Hostelworld a lot more flexibility with ad placement. And because it’s a series, it allows each video to focus on only one misconception about hostels, driving the point home without overcomplicating the message.
3M Command Strips
Why it works
“Tap-tap-tap… Stop!”
Stop what? And why? As the audience of this promotional video, we’re instantly curious why this woman is being told to stop hammering, thus engaging us in the video until we find out why. You’re likely to understand just how vital the hook is in the best product advertisement examples. You might even say we’ve been hammering the point home… Sorry, had to.
We’re presented with the problem at nine seconds in—ugly nail holes in your wall from hanging pictures. Ordinarily, this might be a pretty dull promo message, but MC Hammer delivers it in a lively, memorable fashion. While the video does close with the brand tagline, it might be improved for social media with a more straightforward call to action, such as “shop online” or “learn more” on their website.
Examples from Promo.com
Hey, promotional videos are our bread and butter—it’s even in our name! We were early pioneers in making promotional video production accessible to small business owners and entrepreneurs. It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t show you a couple of examples of the type of video promo you can do with the Promo Editor.
Take a look!
Vacation
Why it works
Opening the scene with a person walking is a classic attention-grabbing technique that’s effective but not overly aggressive. The mystery leads the audience to a smooth shot of a deserted beach that’s totally picturesque. At this point, we just want to be there!
Sure enough, the music suggests ‘fun,’ and that is paid off with a call to action to book a dream getaway. This is an example of a promo video that follows all the best practices and delivers a clear next step for the viewer. What makes it really special, however, is that a complete beginner can create this video in minutes with Promo.com.
Don’t believe us? Try Promo for free and see what you can create.
Gym
Why it works
Whether you like to think of it as aspirational or inspirational, this promo video for a gym definitely gets you thinking about the possibilities of your own physique. It’s visually appealing, and the intensity of the music matches the footage. The bold colors in the captions make a statement and draw your eye to the text.
The video is only 15 seconds, so as you’re reading the captions, the call to action is upon you quickly. Like the vacation example above, there is nothing complicated about this video. Still, again, it has exactly what you need to grab attention and deliver the message as in any other product video example.
Imagine you’re scrolling through Facebook or Instagram on your phone right now—Seriously, put yourself in that position. What would catch your eye more: the video you just saw or an image of the exterior of a gym? It’s a no-brainer; the video wins that battle for your attention ten times out of ten. That is the power that promotional videos can have for your business.
Video promo best practices
Now that you’ve had a little time to see some great advertisement examples, you might be inspired to go out and produce some of your own promotional videos.
At Promo.com, we are highly supportive of this endeavor! Hey, it’s what we do. We provide everything you need to create a stunning promotional video, from the footage with over 15 million video clips to messaging, pre-edited music, and a simple-to-use editor. Get started with Promo for free!
Get started with Promo for free!
Tell a story
Humans are hardwired to understand stories. Stories help us make sense of information and put bits of data into a context that we can use. We’re not talking about the ‘once upon a time’ type of story; instead, use the art of storytelling to clarify your message.
So how can you make this work when advertising with video?
By using one of these techniques in any promotional video examples above. Consider the Hero’s Journey, an archetypal story pattern pervasive throughout every culture, from Disney movies to your favorite novel. Here’s the catch—instead of making your brand the hero, make your audience the hero.
Use your promo video to tell a story about the trials of your hero, the advice received from the mentor (that’s you!), and the ultimate victory waiting at the end. Is the Hero’s Journey too mythological for you? Consider the Feel, Felt, Found method. Again, use your audience as the subject.
- I know how you feel. Frustrated by your problem.
- Because I felt the same way. I was unsure of the solution.
- But then I found this, and it changed my life.
Bam, you drop your product or service at the end and close with a solid call to action.
See how that works? Go ahead, give it a try right now. The script for the promotional video is pretty much writing itself!
Use customer experiences and data
All product advertisement examples generally concentrate on showcasing product benefits, but the best promo videos also back up those benefits with real-world proof. There are two quick-and-easy ways to get that type of proof into your videos.
First, get some type of customer feedback. This can be as simple as putting a screenshot of an online review into your video or cutting in a short customer testimonial. It depends on the style and length constraints you’re working with, but either method can be effective.
Next, find some numbers that support your benefit claims. If your unique selling proposition is that your product lasts a long time, back that up with the actual figures of the average length of service. If ease of use is your selling point, provide data on how many of your new customers complete the onboarding process (a software example).
Marketing funnel alignment
Many new video marketers get a little tripped up because they try to sell too early. The marketing funnel is shaped the way it is because many people know about a product, but only a few actually buy it. They typically need to go through an awareness phase before even considering the price to get people to buy.
This means for video production because, generally speaking, product promo videos should focus on getting the audience to understand their problem better.
Videos at the bottom of the funnel should concentrate on influencing the actual purchase decision: Comparisons, sense of urgency, etc. And yes, this means that you will need more than one promotional video!
Awareness videos are great for ads, while bottom-of-the-funnel videos help you increase conversion rates on your landing pages.
Ready to start creating your own promotional videos for business? With Promo, creating videos is easy, affordable, and straightforward. We have everything you need to get started with video creation, from high-quality footage to pre-edited music and more. Head over to Promo.com and get started today!
Head over to Promo.com and get started today!
