Creating a Product Video: A Step-by-Step Guide to Engaging Your Audience

Creating a memorable product commercial is one of the most powerful ways to connect with your audience, raise brand awareness, and drive sales. Whether it’s a commercial for television, slick social media ad, or an Amazon explainer video, a good video tells a story that resonates with viewers. Here’s a guide to the process, from concept development to the final cut.

1. Define Your Purpose and Audience

Before diving into production, it’s essential to understand the purpose of your video. Ask yourself:

• What message are you trying to convey? For example, are you introducing a new product and need to highlight it’s features, or do you need attention grabbing visuals to attract new customers?
• Who is your target audience? Knowing your audience will shape everything from the style of the ad to its tone. Consider age, interests, lifestyle, and demographics.

Clear answers to these questions set the foundation for the rest of the video production, ensuring that your message resonates with the right people in the right way.

2. Develop a Concept and Storyline

Once you know your purpose and audience, it’s time to brainstorm ideas. This step often involves researching references, looking at competitor examples, and coming up with unique ideas. Think about:

• The tone and style you want, whether humorous, elegant, or relatable.
• How the product solves a problem or enhances life. Emphasizing these aspects gives the audience a reason to care.
• Visuals and setting. Is this a studio product shoot with backdrops and set design? Or is this a lifestyle shoot in a luxury location or space?
• Script. How will the information be conveyed? Is the story best conveyed with a narration and voice over artist? Or will motion graphic text animations highlight the features better?

A concept should communicate the product’s benefits without overloading the viewer with information. Start with the core idea, and refine it to ensure it’s visually captivating and easy to understand.

3. Storyboard and Plan the Visuals

A storyboard is a visual guide that breaks down each scene in the commercial. Storyboards help the team envision the flow of the commercial, plan shots, and make decisions about camera angles, lighting, and other visual details.

At this stage, the director, producer, and production crew:

• Map out each scene with sketches and written notes.
• Plan transitions, camera angles, and key visual moments.
• Identify necessary props, sets, or locations that will enhance the story.

We like to create our storyboards in Canva. If you’d like to see an example, check out this storyboard we made while planning out a product video for Brio Product Group, along with the Final Video to see it come to life!

4. Cast Talent and Gather Resources

The right cast can bring the product and story to life. If the commercial includes people, it’s essential to choose talent that resonates with your audience. Whether you’re hiring professional actors or real people who fit the brand image, the right faces and personalities make a big difference.

In addition to casting, gather any other resources, such as:

• Wardrobe, props, and set materials needed to create the visual setting. Are there specialized rigs need to create shots we need?
• Equipment including cameras, lights, and sound equipment.
• Locations that align with the story and production needs.

5. Film the Video

Filming is where all your planning takes shape. This step requires precision and coordination to capture high-quality footage that aligns with your vision. During production:

• Set up shots carefully to ensure each scene is framed and lit properly.
• Capture multiple takes to give yourself more options during editing.
• Direct talent effectively to ensure they deliver the message authentically.

A strong director will balance creative direction with practical needs, keeping an eye on details like lighting, sound quality, and camera movement.

6. Edit and Refine

Post-production is where the magic happens. Editing is a meticulous process that brings all the footage together to create a cohesive story. During editing, professionals:

• Choose the best takes for each scene, arranging them in a way that flows well.
• Add music and sound effects to enhance mood and impact.
• Visual Effects are needed for almost every product video to showcase the product in it’s best light. This includes cleaning up any imperfections like scratches or dust specs that might occur while filming, removing rigs or wires to make it seem like the product moves or flies around seamlessly, or compositing different elements together to create a unique effect.
• Include graphics or text overlays if needed to highlight specific features.
• Color Grading can also bring your video to the next level. A professional colorist can enhance the colors of the image to better convey the tone of the video, tapping into the emotions of the viewer.

A professional editor’s touch can elevate the commercial’s quality, ensuring it looks polished and maintains the right pace and energy.

7. Test and Finalize

Once you have a rough cut, test the commercial internally and with a focus group if possible. Gather feedback on elements like:

• Clarity of message: Is the commercial easy to understand, and does it communicate the intended message?
• Emotional impact: Does it resonate with viewers, and does it align with the brand’s tone?
• Call to action: Is it compelling? Does it motivate viewers to take the next step?

Based on feedback, make any necessary adjustments to improve the commercial’s effectiveness. Small tweaks to timing, visuals, or music can make a big difference in how the ad resonates with viewers.

If you’d like to check out one of our product commercials with a behind-the-scenes look into it’s creation, I’d recommend exploring this case study we did for Michael Malul’s Ocean Noir Fragrance.

8. Distribute and Monitor Performance

After finalizing the commercial, it’s time to launch! Distribution strategies vary, depending on your target audience and budget, and could include:

• Television spots, where you can reach a broad audience.
• Online platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, where you can target specific demographics.
• Streaming services where ads can be shown during popular shows.

Track the commercial’s performance and engagement through metrics like views, shares, click-through rates, and sales increases. Analyzing these results helps you understand what worked well and informs future campaigns.

We’ve recently partnered with Cloudvast Media to run ads and help you reach your target demographic and provide all the analytics to optimize your conversions. If you have questions on how that works, please reach out to us to discuss further.

Conclusion

Creating a product commercial is a journey that combines creativity, strategy, and technical skills. Each step builds on the last, from defining the purpose to filming and editing, ensuring that your message resonates and leaves a lasting impact. A successful commercial not only showcases your product but also engages viewers, invites them into the brand story, and ultimately drives them to take action.