Nick BuchheitTV has taken a bit of a secondary role in many marketing strategies during the last couple of years, as digital marketing keeps gaining ground. But TV commercial Production is still a powerful tool in the video marketing toolbox.
TV providers want to stay competitive with their online counterparts, and some major TV trends are actually starting to blur the lines between TV commercials and digital ads. Multi-Screen campaigns and programmatic TV are examples of trends that marketers should keep an eye on, which may impact your offline media optimization strategy.
Related reading: Marketing Video Production Trends and Strategies for 2022
In this article, we’ll look at five of those trends and how they impact video marketing. We’ll also list five essential aspects of successful TV commercial productions to make sure you check all those boxes with your videos.
5 Important Trends In TV Commercial Production
1. The Rise of Connected TV (CTV)
In the past decade, connected television has increasingly taken over and dominated how we consume television. Youtube, Netflix, and set-top boxes are examples of how the television landscape is changing and evolving. This has gradually transformed the media and marketing industry, introducing new ways to consume video content and ads.
Today, there are more than 200 million CTV viewers in the US alone, making CTV more than comparable to traditional TV channels that slowly but surely lose subscribers. Many advertisers today view CTV platforms as the most important channel for displaying their TV commercials, not only because of the wider audience they can reach. Connected TV is also widely perceived as “unadventured”; a new ground that innovative and creative marketers can conquer.
The free choice of service provider that comes with CTV platforms also opens vast personalization opportunities for advertisers. Custom applications and personalized content plans, based on location or preferences, mean better targeting and, consequently, better conversion rates than traditional TV. This brings us to the next trend on our list: personalized TV commercials.
2. Personalized TV Commercial Production
Traditionally, advertising on television with TV commercials has relied on purchasing space during specific programs or shows. Based on the assumption that if the audience enjoys watching X, they’re likely to be interested in buying Y. But with the rise of digital video platforms like Youtube and the growing popularity of connected TV (CTV), the whole landscape of TV commercial production is changing.
The new platforms collect second-by-second data on audiences, allowing for a much more precise targeting than before. And set-top-boxes aggregate data and sell it, with specific breakdowns of which audience is watching what. So if an advertiser knows their audience enjoys watching NFL games, they can find out what other programs they watch and advertise there as well.
Access to more segmented channels and more precise targeting means it suddenly makes sense for brands to create different, much more personalized TV commercial campaigns for different audiences, even if they’re all selling the same product.
3. Sustainable and Socially Responsible TV Commercials
Another prominent trend that is relevant for TV commercials and video marketing as a whole is the focus on sustainability and corporate social responsibility. According to research by First Insight, 62% of millennial and Generation Z audiences prefer buying from sustainable brands. And not only that; they expect brands to show awareness of social problems and engage in charity work, corporate social responsibility, and to all in all work actively for a better world.
This means it’s no longer enough to sell a product that people like. If your competition connects the same product to a mission that appeals to people, it will not matter how tasty your oat milk or how comfy your shoes are. The consumer will opt for products that connect to a higher ethical cause.
However, it’s important not to jump on this trend just for the sake of it. Millennials and Gen Z are inherently skeptical of corporate messaging and will smell anything even remotely resembling color washing from miles away. So just latching on to a cause without understanding it and appreciating its complexities can prove disastrous for brands. You should do it, but do it well and genuinely.
The key here is transparency and authenticity. Stay humble and authentic, and make sure you research the cause you would like to support in-depth, not to appear ignorant or insincere. Docu-style video can often be a good fit for this type of messaging, as it leverages a show-don’t-tell type of narrative that generally feels more authentic.
Related reading: How to Create Authentic Brand Videos – And Why It Matters
4. Mobile and Multiscreen Environments
While many marketers think of mobile and desktop as alternatives to TV, it may be time to challenge this notion. And despite mobile’s continuous growth, marketers should perhaps not consider offline media like TV a thing of the past. Here’s an interesting fact that may change your perception of the mobile vs. TV rivalry: 94 % of people who watch television in the US do so with their phone in hand.
So yes, this could mean that TV and mobile should perhaps not be viewed as opposite media but rather as complementary channels. And that combining the two in creative ways may be one of those cases where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Research shows that a so-called halo effect occurs when consumers engage with content across multiple devices. This refers to a specific type of consumer bias, where positive experiences from a brand’s marketing are expanded into another channel, which seems to amplify the total effect. Customers also seem more receptive to mobile ads while they’re relaxed in front of the telly. While watching TV, as many as 59 % of viewers claim to pay additional attention to the mobile ads on their phones.
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5. Dynamic Video Commercial Production
When it comes to TV commercial production and any video marketing really, it’s essential to embrace a 10X mindset. What does that mean? Well, it means you should ask yourself how to get ten times more from any piece of content you produce. In the online world, things age and turn obsolete quickly. Consumers expect a constant stream of fresh content, and while one really good video does last for a while, it will eventually get old if you keep sharing the same content again and again. You need quality – and quantity. Don’t just produce a TV commercial; 10x it while you’re at it. Shoot a multi-purpose campaign, capture behind-the-scenes material for your Instagram pages, create video snippets to turn into social media ads, and gather enough b-roll to stay agile and creative in the post-production process. This mindset is a great way to maximize your ROI and get as much marketing material as possible out of every shoot.
To do this, it’s crucial to partner with a creative video production company that understands the power of repurposing and repackaging. Another strategy is to shoot multiple TV commercials on the same occasion and publish them over an extended time. Working smarter instead of harder will be the name of the game in 2022.
Related reading: Dynamic Video Production – How to Make the Most Out Of Your Video Shoot
5 Qualities of A Winning Commercial Production
There’s a wide variety of ways to create TV commercials, and there’s no silver bullet or blueprint. But while there’s no one-size-fits-all, there are some traits that all successful TV commercials tend to have in common. Truly great commercials usually have the following characteristics:
A truly great story
A strong storyline is an essential component of a successful TV commercial. As human beings, we’re hardwired to respond to stories. And if you manage to tell a good one, you can win the hearts and minds of millions. TV commercials that leverage the principles of great storytelling will capture their audience’s attention and connect on an emotional level.
Related reading: Creating a Story Arch For Corporate Storytelling
The right tone for your audience
A great TV commercial needs to do more than capture and keep people’s attention. It needs to resonate with your target audience, and to that, it needs the right tonality. When making a TV commercial, you need to keep your brand’s general tone of voice in mind. Are you edgy, peaceful, corporate, or quirky? Then that’s the tone you want to turn up even more in your TV commercial.
A recurring theme
Don’t think in terms of just one commercial; think about a theme and how to turn it into a series of commercials. The best TV commercials aren’t standalone; they’re complete campaigns with follow-ups to continue the story and develop the theme. One example is Budweiser’s series of ads featuring the iconic frogs Bud, Weis, Er, and eventually the lizards Frank and Louie. Themed campaigns like these effectively build memorable characters and create relationships with the viewer.
A clear call-to-action
Before you get started on the script, you need to know your goal. What do you want to achieve with your TV commercial? It’s important to know exactly what your call to action is before you start drafting. What do you want people to feel and eventually do when they’ve seen the commercial? Your call to action will depend on various factors, but it’s always crucial to start with your end in mind.
Related reading: 5 Calls-To-Action You Should Be Using In Your Marketing Videos
A Creative Concept
When you’re looking to maximize your marketing efforts, there’s no doubt that TV commercial production is a powerful forum. But it’s not the format that will determine the success of your video. The most crucial success factor in video marketing is the creative concept—the idea. Partnering with an innovative and creative video production company, and daring to let them make something that stands out and gets noticed, is the best way to get some serious bang for your bucks.
Related reading: Invest In Creative To Optimize Your Video Production Budget
Partner With An Award-Winning Video Production Agency
TV commercials are, when done well, a powerful marketing tool. However, not all TV commercials are created equal. You’ll need to consider many things before deciding whether this particular marketing tactic is suitable for you. The world of video production is fast-paced, and trends come and go at a high velocity. New videos and styles are trending on social media every day, and staying updated can feel overwhelming. But if you don’t, you risk producing TV commercials that feel outdated from the start. This presents a big challenge for marketing teams today. Creating brand video content requires a deep understanding of your target audience and a very agile way of working.
Related reading: The Importance of Keeping Up With Fast-Paced Video Trends
Covalent is an award-winning video marketing agency specializing in innovative and original brand videos and corporate videos. We excel at creating everything from authentic, docu-style videos to explainer videos and commercial ads. We’re experienced video marketers and can assist in every step of the process – from ideation to finished product.
Get in touch to learn how we can help you make your story come alive with video.