Promotional video examples: 7 types of promo video and what each is for

A promotional video is any video made to promote a brand, product, service or offer. That covers a wide range of formats, from a cinematic brand film to a 15-second vertical ad. Picking the right type for your goal matters more than production budget, so here are the seven most common types and what each one is for.

The short answer

The main types of promotional video are the brand film, the product launch video, the explainer, the vertical social ad, the testimonial or case-study video, the offer or event promo and the before-and-after video. Choose by goal: awareness, understanding, trust or action. A single well-planned shoot can usually produce several of them.

1. Brand film

Goal: awareness and trust. A brand film shows who you are, how you work and why it matters, usually with people, places and craft rather than hard selling. Length: 60 to 120 seconds. Use it: on the homepage, the about page and in pitches.

In our portfolio: the custom cabinetry commercial combines room transformations and workshop footage with a simple design-your-space close.

2. Product launch video

Goal: excitement and first signups or sales. It reveals a new product or feature with a strong visual idea and a clear "available now". Length: 30 to 90 seconds. Use it: launch emails, social, Product Hunt and the product page. For software, see how to make a SaaS product demo video for the follow-up walkthrough.

3. Explainer video

Goal: understanding. It explains what a product does and why it matters, often with animation. Length: 60 to 120 seconds. Use it: above the fold on landing pages. Our guide to planning a SaaS explainer video covers structure and length in detail.

4. Vertical social ad

Goal: attention and clicks in the feed. It is built for 9:16 with a hook in the first second, captions and a single message. Length: 6 to 30 seconds. Use it: TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and Stories. UGC-style ads, including AI UGC ads, are a common version of this format.

In our portfolio: the media wall installer ad uses short on-screen copy and before-and-after reveals made for social feeds.

5. Testimonial or case-study video

Goal: trust and proof. Real customers describe the problem, the result and what it was like to work with you. Length: 60 to 180 seconds, plus short clips. Use it: on service and pricing pages, in sales follow-ups and in retargeting ads. Use real customers with their permission only.

6. Offer or event promo

Goal: action before a deadline. It promotes a sale, a launch event, a webinar or a seasonal offer. Length: 15 to 45 seconds. Use it: paid social, email and in-store screens. Make the offer and the date impossible to miss.

7. Before-and-after video

Goal: proof through results. It shows the change your product or service makes: a room, a website, a workflow, a result. Length: 15 to 60 seconds. Use it: social, landing pages and ads. It works especially well for home improvement, design and local services.

Which promotional video do you need?

Your goal	Start with
People don't know you yet	Brand film, vertical social ads
People don't understand the product	Explainer, product demo
People don't trust you yet	Testimonial video, before-and-after
People are interested but not acting	Offer promo, retargeting ads
You're releasing something new	Product launch video

Get more from one shoot

Plan the cutdowns before filming: a main 16:9 film for your site and YouTube, a 1:1 version for LinkedIn and feeds, and several 9:16 clips for Reels, TikTok and Shorts. Capturing extra B-roll, close-ups and a few vertical-framed shots on the day costs little and saves a reshoot later.

Next steps

See our promotional video production service and recent work. Before you contact any studio, our guide on how to brief a video production studio will help you get an accurate quote.

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