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Commercials vs. Adverts: What’s the Difference (and Which is Right for You?)
- Laurence Scott
- Jul 14, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 3
When you are looking to get your business, service, or product on screen, you will often hear two terms thrown around a lot: adverts and commercials.
While they both have the ultimate goal of shouting about your amazing business, the way they get there—and the process behind making them—is actually quite different.
Here at Offset Films, we love helping our clients figure out exactly what kind of video magic they need to hit their goals.
Let's lift the curtain on the subtle differences between the two, and how adding a bit of narrative storytelling can make your next project truly unforgettable.
1. Adverts: Celebrating Your Reality
When we sit down to create a traditional advert for a business, the framework is beautifully grounded in your day-to-day reality.
Built Around Your Team and Voice
While these videos are still carefully scripted and structured, the backbone of the film is usually built around an interview framework. We capture real, passionate talking heads:
Your senior team sharing the business vision.
Your hard-working staff showing off their expertise.
Your happy customers sharing genuine, glowing testimonials.
Why It’s a Great, Efficient Option
Because we wrap those interviews up in high-energy, exciting footage of your product or service in action, we usually don't need a lot of outside elements. We get to use your actual business premises and your real team. This makes the project highly authentic, incredibly effective, and usually much more straightforward to price, as most of the components are already right there waiting for us!
2. The Commercial: Stepping into the World of Narrative
Commercials—often called "branded content"—take things up a whole gear. They move past simply showing your business and step into the world of creative storytelling.
Finding the Emotional Impact
The biggest difference with a commercial is the depth of the narrative. Instead of interviewing your staff, we find an emotional hook—whether it’s heartwarming, inspiring, or funny—and build a mini-movie around it.
To do this right, we often bring in professional actors to portray everyday people experiencing your brand. It requires careful scriptwriting, meticulous attention to detail, and seamless continuity across the on-screen world to make the audience truly believe the story unfolding in front of them.
Why Commercials Involve a Bit More Heavy Lifting
Because we are building a fictional or dramatised world from scratch, the preparation work multiplies. This is why commercials are harder to quote with a "one-size-fits-all" price. Depending on the script, we might need to source:
Specific filming locations or custom-built sets.
Professional actors, models, or extras.
Specific wardrobe, styling, and props.
3. Case Study: Capturing the Magic of Bury St Edmunds
To see this storytelling in action, look no further than a festive project we recently captured right here in Suffolk, taking our audience on a seasonal journey through the historic town of Bury St Edmunds.
Bringing a "B-Story" to Life
Instead of just showing a checklist of shops and historic sights, we focused on a real family exploring the town. The emotional "B-story" of the commercial was wrapped up entirely in a child’s experience of Christmas.
By capturing the genuine wonder, the twinkling lights, and the excitement through the eyes of a child, we gave the audience an emotional hook to connect with. It wasn't just an commercial for a town; it was an invitation to feel a specific emotion.
The Power of High-Impact Engagement
Because commercials focus on entertaining and moving the viewer rather than just selling to them, their share-ability skyrockets. The proof is in the pudding: this specific Christmas campaign received over 150,000 views, 1,700 reactions, and 450 comments on Facebook alone! Imagine what that level of viral engagement and brand awareness could do for the future of your business, local shop, or charity.
Ready to Tell Your Story?
The key to a truly unforgettable commercial is a great story. How can you take your audience on a journey that hooks them from the very first second and keeps them entertained all the way through?
Whether you need an authentic promotional film to showcase your team or a high-impact narrative commercial to capture hearts and minds, your friendly local production crew at Offset Films is ready to help you script it, shoot it, and share it.
Get in touch with us today, and let’s start brainstorming your next awesome campaign!
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