Product Video vs Brand Video – Which One Should You Choose?

Video marketing is one of the most potent ways to connect with potential customers and build your brand. The key to unlocking this potential is knowing how to produce a captivating and informative video and what type of video to use for different purposes and contexts.  

There’s a wide array of ways to use video in your marketing, and which one’s right depends on several factors. The most crucial factor is the purpose of your video. What do you want to achieve with your video production? What feelings and what actions do you want to trigger? Your answer will decide what type of video you need. 

In this article, we’ll compare product videos to brand videos to help you determine which one would be the best investment for you. 

Related reading: 5 Steps to A Successful Video Marketing Strategy

What is a Product Video?

A product video explains what a product is, how it works, and what its benefits are. While many product videos emphasize a product’s unique features, the most important thing is conveying the value your product brings. You want to tell your audience how your product solves their problems and helps them reach their goals.

A product video should always answer the following three questions:

• What is this product?
• Who is it for?
• How will it help me? 

This can of course be done in many different formats and with very different approaches. Sometimes an animated explainer video will best do the job; other times, a docu-style case study is better.

Whatever format you opt for, you want the audience to walk away with knowledge about your product and how it fits into their lives and makes them better. 

Related reading: Commercial Video Production Styles – Which One Is Right For You?

Examples of Great Product Videos

Dollar Shave Club: One Video Built a Whole Business

One of the most well-known and copied marketing videos out there is the iconic first video from the Dollar Shave Club. Not only does it showcase how you can use great storytelling and humor to capture the interest of your audience and educate them about your offering. It’s also proof of the enormous power and potential of well-made videos. This video immediately went viral and turned a budding startup into a profitable venture in no time. 

Night Cable: Simple Products Need Product Videos Too

This product video for Night Cable does a great job showcasing both the pains the product solves and how it does it. Night Cable is a simple product – a 3-meter long charging cable for Apple devices. It’s easy to think such an intuitive product doesn’t need a product video to be explained, but nothing could be more wrong. This video puts the spotlight at something every iPhone user has experienced so often that most people have become blind to the issue – and may not even be looking for a solution. Until they see this video, that is. 

What Is Brand Video?

A brand video is different from a product video in one fundamental way. Instead of explaining your product, it’s made to drive awareness about your brand. So rather than focusing on a particular feature or offer, it tells your brand story, positions your brand in a broader context, and contributes to the perception of your company.

The style of a brand video can vary widely. Great brand videos come in all shapes and sizes and can be corporate videos, docu-style videos, animated videos, or almost any other video form. However, its purpose is always the same; to translate your core brand values and your unique selling points in a way compelling to your target audience.

Related reading: How to Create Authentic Brand Videos – And Why It Matters

Examples of Great Brand Videos

Apple: Making Your Customer the Hero

Apple has always excelled in brand building, and its brand videos are among the very best in the world. It’s hard to choose among all the brilliant videos they’ve created, but one video that’s easy to be inspired by and steal ideas from is this one: “Behind the Mac: Greatness”.

This brand video doesn’t talk about Apple products at all. Instead, it celebrates the brilliant minds making greatness behind the Mac. Making your customer the hero of your brand story is the best marketing strategy, and here it’s beautifully showcased in a brand video.  

Burt’s Bees: Brand and Storytelling 101

Another brand, very different from Apple, but equally amazing at storytelling, is Burt’s Bees. This brand video is a fantastic example of how video marketing can add a whole new layer of meaning and value to your brand and products. 

Burt’s bees sell chapsticks. If you strip away the storytelling elements of Burt’s Bees, that’s an extremely simple product that almost anyone can manufacture at a very low cost. But through consistent brand videos building a whole universe around their products, this company has built a loyal fan base who will happily pay to be part of this wholesome brand’s vibe. 

Can a Product Video Also Be a Brand Video?

The boundaries between different types of video content are not always clear, and often they overlap. This b2b case study video from Slack is an example of a brand video that also explains the product. It’s a case study, but it’s fun and light-hearted and focuses on how Slack helped another company streamline its internal processes. Even though it talks about the product, more than anything this video conveys the spirit of the Slack brand.

How Covalent Can Help

At Covalent, we excel at creating product videos, brand videos, and corporate videos that stand out from the competition. By focusing on creative content with a unique and authentic vibe, we help our clients create marketing messages that stick and help them grow.