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video production on a budget
November 20, 2024
Commercials can be a super powerful tool when they’re done right. It’s why they get so much hype this time of year. And why advertisers are willing to pay millions to get their brand name out there. In this article, we’re tackling the similarities between commercials and paid ads and how you can use them to super-size your sales. You ready to score big? Let’s get started.
It’s that time of year. People are prepping their buffalo dip recipes, starting friendly wagers on who’s team is going to win, and big brands are finalizing months of work on, arguably, the most important and expensive ad they’ll put out all year.
But why are brands so willing to spend millions of dollars on a 30-second spot during the big game? Is the payout really worth it? Honestly, yeah.
It’s a fact that goes back to the dawn of advertising. To make a sale, people need to know who you are. It’s unavoidable. You need eyeballs on your business. And to advertisers, major television events mean one thing: eyeballs.
If you know that on one day every year, hundreds of millions of viewers in your target demographic will be glued to their TV, YOU want to be the brand name they’re seeing. You want to be the business that people are talking about the next day.
Is it a lot of money? Hell yeah. But it’s a one-time investment that spreads and multiplies into a tsunami of organic advertising. Increasing its value exponentially.
The same concept goes for paid ads, without the multi-million dollar price tag, of course.
Commercials have always been a staple of the entertainment industry. And as the television era shifts into the internet era, paid ads are becoming increasingly valuable and profitable.
TVs were the original screens that everyone’s eyeballs were glued to. But now those screens are everywhere. Computers, cell phones, tablets, even kitchen appliances. And while TV spots are still a valid form of advertising, paid ads are really where you get the most bang for your buck. In other words, you get solid results without spending upwards of 5 million dollars.
In all honesty, while not totally interchangeable, paid ads and commercials are extremely similar. Paid advertising is defined as any form of online advertising that is paid for. While commercials tend to be associated specifically with television and radio broadcasts. But in reality, when you break down the intended goals and process of creating each, they don’t look too different.
The key to developing a successful paid ad campaign, much like a commercial, is knowing your audience. The main difference is your distribution strategy. Are these ads going to be YouTube pre-rolls? Will they show up on social media platforms? How are the different platforms going to alter the content you’re creating?
Unlike TV, each paid ad strategy will most likely differ depending on how it’s going to be distributed. So it’s best to have a clear understanding of your game plan before creating your content. And once you know who you’re speaking to and how, you can create content that is meeting the exact right people at the exact right time.
The way we see it, this means the money you’re spending is infinitely more valuable. It’s not being invested in guesses and hopes. You know the money you spend is putting your brand directly into the arms of your target audience.
The main benefit of developing paid ad campaigns is the amount of control you have over your content distribution that commercials sometimes lack. With paid ads, you’re able to target your ideal audience, no matter how large or how niche, and follow them from page to page or screen to screen.
With commercials, viewers can flip channels and completely alter the types of ads they see. Meaning, the ads they get are dependent on their current behavior.
Whereas, paid ads use their knowledge of a user to follow them regardless of the random sites they may visit. Meaning, once your brand falls into their algorithm as something they might find useful, it will continue to present itself to them. Increasingly the likelihood of them eventually falling into your sales funnel.
With paid ads, the internet is your oyster. Where do you want to meet your audience? YouTube? Facebook? Google? Some niche site you know your target demographic frequents? It’s all possible.
Not only will the reach be farther, but it will be a reach that molds itself around your exact business and industry. Think more eyes looking for exactly what you have to offer, and actually interested in your product/service.
With paid ads, you’re getting all the benefits of big budget commercial spots, without the million dollar price tags. With flexible pay-per-click options you only spend what you feel comfortable paying.
Of course, with the pay to play mentality, it could be tricky to stand out depending on your industry. But the more you monitor your results and improve your content with A/B split testing, the more valuable your return will become. It’s a science that pays off with profits.
This year, while your snacking on your buffalo dip and watching all the 5 million dollar spots, think about what you would want your multi-million dollar commercial to say. What would you want to promote, and how?
And just know that with a little time and a lot less money, you can get those same results with paid ads.
Feeling inspired? Give us a call! We’re ready and waiting to help you score big.
INDIRAP is a full service video production, growth marketing and communications agency.
