Video ads are popular and for good reason. They are far more entertaining to watch, draw in a larger audience, are more likely to be shared, and promote your product or title more efficiently. At Magic Media, we understand the benefits to be gained.  

Like our work on the ATB Arena launch trailer, which has gained nearly 1.3 million views since, we know what makes a good video ad and how to get the most out of using them. 

Using Video Ads 

When using video ads, there are several uses. A few examples are videos promoting products, promotions for products or events, ads for conferences, classic commercials, game trailers and cinematics, and user requisition ads.  

No matter what your purpose is, when compared to typical static ads, video ads always win out. They easily return higher views and click-through rates (CTR). As a method of garnering attention, they are more effective in catching potential clients and are proven to promote your product more effectively and increase your revenue.  

Given the global access of mobile phones, targeting mobile ads is particularly wise and pays off hugely. Now, far more accessible and easily viewable anywhere, your media presence will easily gain higher CTR and engagement. 

Types of Video Ads 

It’s not as simple as pointing and shooting with video ads, you need to know what you want. Typically, a video ad falls into one of three categories. 

Brand Video Ads 

These types specifically push your brand. They include conference videos, employer branding ads, internal videos, brand-awareness ads (high-level, displaying the tone and voice of your brand). These ads work well to promote your brand, reinforce the stance or appearance of the brand to potential clients, and push for a recognisable brand identity. 

Product Video Ads 

These, naturally, cover advertising a specific product or line or products. They include app store video ads, customer relation management (CRM) ads, in-app ads, and a game trailer could technically fall in here as well. These obviously shift the focus away from a brand and more toward highlight the product or service you’re promoting. 

Marketing/Growth Oriented Video Ads 

User acquisition (UA) ads, game trailers, cinematics, social media content, playable ads, and T.V spots would all fall under this category. While these are similar to product ads, they are focused specifically on drawing in new clients and increasing the awareness of your product and brand.  

Magic Media and Video Ads 

The Magic Media team work with video ads differently. To get the most out of your ads, you have to break free from the mould. Today, ads are viewed too much as a technical process rather than a creative one. Gone are the days of simply taking base footage, adding in buzzwords, a key message, and a call-to-action. That might get a slight bump in impressions, but they won’t work in the long run. 

There is a growing awareness among companies that video ads need to be approached from a creative view, rather than a strictly technical one. A trailer, an ad, it must be a self-contained story with a narrative and leave the viewer with questions. 

Getting the most out of your video ads requires an analytical approach, creating drafts and concepts and seeing what works best. This is how Magic Media approaches video ads with clients. We advise drafting between three and five versions of an ad and then compare their performance against the company’s benchmarks. 

Once one iteration is selected, you can move forward with it and begin to refine it. Elements such as overall and individual clip length, introduction of certain aspects of the video. For example, in game trailers, when to introduce gameplay and when to focus on narrative beats. Or when to introduce humour to break up the tone and give some variation.

These are just some ways in which Magic Media and its partners tackle video ads. Getting the most out of the process involves combining technical prowess and creative ideation to bring the best possible result.

If you’re in need of video ad services, you can learn more here. If you’re in need of other services, such as cinematics or game development, visit our services page or get in touch. We’re ready and waiting to help bring the magic to your project.