Types of Marketing Videos (With 2026 Examples)

The main types of marketing videos are brand films, commercials, social videos, explainers, product demos, thought leadership videos, testimonials, case studies, event recaps, recruitment videos, and training or internal videos. Each one does a different job, at a different stage of the buyer’s journey.

However, that last part is where most plans go wrong. Teams often pick a format because it’s popular, not because it fits the goal. So a better approach is to start with three questions:

• Who needs to see this video?
• What do they already know about you?
• What should they do after watching?

This guide maps the types of marketing videos to the funnel stage and business goal each one serves, with 2026 examples, a cost table, and a simple process for choosing which video to make first.

Key Takeaways

• The types of marketing videos map to funnel stages. Awareness, consideration, decision, and retention each call for different formats.
• Brand films and commercials build awareness. They introduce who you are to people who have never heard of you.
• Explainers and product demos win consideration. They answer “what is it?” and “how does it work?” for buyers who are comparing options.
• Testimonials and case studies close deals. Real customers on camera reduce risk for the final decision-maker.
• One shoot can feed several video types. Plan interviews, B-roll, and cutdowns together, and a single production day can deliver a brand film, a testimonial, and social clips.

What Are the Main Types of Marketing Videos?

The main types of marketing videos fall into five groups: awareness videos, consideration videos, decision videos, retention and internal videos, and event and recruitment videos. For a quick overview, the table below summarizes each type, its job, and where it usually runs.

If your team calls these “types of corporate videos,” the list is largely the same. Our guide to types of corporate videos covers internal and leadership formats in more depth.

Which Types of Marketing Videos Build Awareness?

The types of marketing videos that build awareness are brand films, commercials, and social shorts. They introduce your company to people who don’t know you yet, so they lead with story and emotion rather than features. In other words, they earn attention first and explain later.

Brand Films

A brand film is a two- to four-minute story about why your company exists, who it serves, and what it believes. Typically, it blends interviews with leaders and customers, cinematic B-roll, and music.

In fact, the best brand films feel more like short documentaries than ads. For a deeper look at the format, see our documentary-style brand video production guide.

Commercials

A commercial is a 15- to 60-second spot built to drive awareness or a specific response on TV, streaming, or paid social. Because time is short, every frame has to earn its place.

For that reason, commercials work best with one message and one call to action. Our commercial video production team covers concept, casting, the shoot, and finishing.

Social Shorts

Social shorts are 6- to 60-second vertical or square videos for Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube Shorts. They trade polish for speed and frequency, so a series usually beats a single post.

In practice, most brands cut social shorts from a larger shoot. As a result, one production day can feed a month of posts. Our guide to social media video pricing shows what brands typically pay.

Which Types of Marketing Videos Win Consideration?

The types of marketing videos that win consideration are explainers, product demos, and thought leadership videos. They help buyers who are already interested understand your product, compare options, and trust your expertise. Here, however, clarity matters more than spectacle.

Explainer Videos

An explainer video is a 60- to 120-second video that makes a product, service, or idea clear by walking the viewer from their problem to your solution. Also, it can be animated, live-action, or a hybrid. Learn more in our guide to what an explainer video is.

Product Demos

A product demo shows exactly how a product works, feature by feature, usually in two to ten minutes. In other words, it answers the detailed questions that come after the explainer.

Demos are also the natural centerpiece of a launch, because launch buyers want to see the product working. For launch planning, see our guide to product launch videos.

Thought Leadership Videos

Thought leadership videos put your experts on camera to share a point of view, a forecast, or practical advice. They build trust with senior buyers, especially in B2B, because they show how your team thinks.

To keep them useful, focus each one on a single idea. Then cut them into short clips for LinkedIn and longer versions for webinars or your blog.

Here’s a marketing video produced by D-MAK Productions:

Which Types of Marketing Videos Help Close Deals?

The types of marketing videos that help close deals are testimonials, case studies, and video brochures. They reduce risk for the buyer who is about to sign, because they offer proof: real customers, real results, and a polished final impression.

Testimonial Videos

A testimonial video features a real customer explaining the problem they had, why they chose you, and what changed. Because the customer is speaking, it carries more weight than anything you could say about yourself.

In fact, interview-led testimonials are D-MAK’s bread and butter. See our testimonial video production services for how we run them.

Case Study Videos

A case study video tells a customer story with a clear before, during, and after, often with on-screen results the client has approved. As a result, it’s longer and more detailed than a testimonial.

For example, D-MAK’s work on Sephora’s “We Belong” piece wove interviews together with candid B-roll, which is the same structure a strong case study uses.

Video Brochures

A video brochure is a printed folder with a built-in screen that plays your video when it’s opened. For this reason, it’s a premium leave-behind for high-value prospects and executive meetings. Learn more on our video brochure page.

Which Types of Marketing Videos Support Retention?

Training, onboarding, and internal communication videos are the types of marketing videos that support retention. They help customers and employees succeed after the sale or the hire. Although they’re often overlooked as marketing, they protect revenue by reducing churn and support costs.

For example, common formats include customer onboarding series, how-to tutorials, help-center videos, leadership updates, and employee training. Our training video production team builds these for HR, learning, and customer success teams.

Event and Recap Videos

Event videos capture a conference, launch, gala, or customer summit and turn it into content that lives long after the room empties. For example, a two-minute recap can promote next year’s event, thank sponsors, and feed social for weeks.

Therefore, plan coverage before the event: keynote recording, attendee interviews, B-roll of the room, and a highlight reel. Our event video production team handles this for Phoenix and Scottsdale venues and beyond.

Recruitment and Culture Videos

Recruitment and culture videos show candidates what it’s like to work at your company, using real employees, real workspaces, and honest stories. As a result, they attract people who fit and filter out people who don’t.

Above all, keep them specific. For instance, a day in the life of one engineer beats a montage of smiling stock-style shots.

Types of Marketing Videos by Goal (With Examples)

Choosing among the types of marketing videos is easier when you start from the goal. So use this table to match a business goal to the video that serves it best.

Here’s a testimonial-based video with motion graphics produced by D-MAK Productions:

How to Choose the Right Type of Marketing Video

Choosing the right type of marketing video takes five steps: name the goal, pick the audience and funnel stage, check what you already have, match the format to the channel, and plan the shoot so it serves more than one video.

Step 1: Name One Business Goal

The first step in choosing among the types of marketing videos is naming one business goal, such as more demo requests, faster sales cycles, or higher event attendance.

After all, a video with one goal is easier to script, easier to measure, and easier to approve. So write the goal down before anyone talks about style.

Step 2: Pick the Audience and Funnel Stage

Picking the audience and funnel stage means deciding whether the viewer is meeting you for the first time, comparing options, or ready to buy.

Next, use the summary table above to shortlist two or three formats that fit that stage.

Step 3: Audit What You Already Have

Auditing what you already have means listing existing footage, interviews, testimonials, and brand assets that could be reused or refreshed.

Often, however, the gap is not a new video but a missing stage. For example, many companies have a brand film but no testimonials.

Step 4: Match the Format to the Channel

Matching the format to the channel means choosing length, aspect ratio, and style based on where the video will actually run, from a TV spot to a LinkedIn feed.

Also, plan for viewers who watch with the sound off. Nielsen Norman Group’s research on video usability recommends captions and making the value clear in the first seconds.

Step 5: Plan One Shoot for Several Videos

Planning one shoot for several videos means building a shot list that covers interviews, B-roll, and product shots for every format you need, so one production day delivers the whole set.

This is also where a full-service team saves money. As a result, a single day can produce a brand film, two testimonials, and a dozen social clips.

How Much Do Different Marketing Videos Cost?

Marketing video costs in Phoenix range from about $2,500 for an interview-style video to $75,000 or more for a multi-day brand documentary. The type of marketing video, the number of shoot days, and the amount of animation drive most of the price.

For a full breakdown by format, see our guide to the cost of marketing video production.

Producing Marketing Videos in Phoenix: Local Considerations

Producing marketing videos in Phoenix means planning around heat, light, and a busy event calendar. First, outdoor shoots from May through September usually start at sunrise and move indoors by late morning, because heat is hard on talent, gear, and makeup. Then, from mid-June through September, monsoon storms can bring wind and dust with little warning, so exterior days need a backup date.

On the other hand, Phoenix offers huge variety within an hour’s drive: desert landscapes, modern offices in Tempe and Scottsdale, resort properties, and manufacturing facilities in Chandler and Mesa. As a result, one market can supply locations for a brand film, a product shoot, and a recruitment video in the same week.

Finally, January through April is peak season for conferences and corporate events in the Valley. So if your plan includes event recaps or livestreams, book crews early. For bigger shows, the same team can also run staging, sound, and livestream support.

Common Mistakes When Choosing Marketing Video Types

• Starting with a format instead of a goal. Even a trendy format is wasted budget if it doesn’t serve the goal.
• Making only awareness videos. Without explainers, demos, and testimonials, interested buyers then have nothing to watch next.
• Asking one video to do everything. For example, a brand film that also tries to demo every feature does neither well.
• Ignoring the channel. Similarly, a horizontal two-minute cut won’t perform as a vertical social ad.
• Skipping the plan for cutdowns. If you don’t shoot for vertical, you’ll pay for it later, because reframing rarely works.

Why Choose D-MAK Productions for Marketing Video?

D-MAK Productions is a Phoenix-based video production company with 15 years of experience producing every type of marketing video, from brand films and commercials to testimonials, explainers, and event recaps. Our team handles strategy, scripting, shooting, motion graphics, and editing in-house, so one partner carries your project from concept to final cut. We have produced for brands including Apple and Google.

Clients also describe us as very easy to work with. In addition, we plan shoots so one production day feeds several formats, which stretches your budget across the whole funnel. We’re based in Phoenix, work across Arizona, and also travel nationwide.

Explore our promotional video services or see our commercial video portfolio.

What Marketing Videos Should You Create First?

Most companies should create one brand or explainer video for awareness and consideration, then two or three customer testimonials for the decision stage, and finally short social cutdowns from the same footage. After that, add product demos, event recaps, and training videos as the funnel and the budget grow.

Not sure which video to start with? Contact D-MAK Productions and we’ll help you map the right formats to your goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Types of Marketing Videos Are There?

The main types of marketing videos are brand films, commercials, social shorts, explainer videos, product demos, thought leadership videos, testimonials, case studies, video brochures, training and onboarding videos, event recaps, and recruitment videos.

Which Video Format Should I Use for My Campaign?

The video format you should use for your campaign depends on the goal and the funnel stage. Use commercials and social shorts for awareness, explainers and demos for consideration, and testimonials or case studies when buyers are close to a decision.

What Are the Best Types of Videos for B2B Marketing?

The best types of videos for B2B marketing are customer testimonials, case study videos, explainer videos, product demos, and thought leadership videos, because B2B buyers need proof, clarity, and trust before they commit.

What Marketing Videos Work at Each Stage of the Funnel?

Brand films, commercials, and social shorts work at the awareness stage. Explainers, demos, and thought leadership videos work at the consideration stage. Testimonials, case studies, and video brochures work at the decision stage, and training videos support retention.

What Is the Difference Between a Brand Video and a Commercial?

The difference between a brand video and a commercial is purpose and length. A brand video tells a two- to four-minute story about who you are and why you exist, while a commercial is a 15- to 60-second spot built to drive attention or a specific response.

What Types of Corporate Videos Should a Company Make?

A company should usually make a brand or company overview video, customer testimonials, an explainer or product demo, training and onboarding videos, and a recruitment video. Event recaps and leadership updates are useful additions for larger organizations.

How Many Types of Marketing Videos Does a Business Need?

Most businesses need three to five types of marketing videos to cover the funnel: one awareness video, one or two consideration videos, and at least one decision video such as a testimonial, plus social cutdowns.

Who Produces Marketing Videos in Phoenix?

D-MAK Productions produces marketing videos in Phoenix, including brand films, commercials, explainers, testimonials, product demos, event recaps, and social content, with strategy, shooting, and editing handled in-house.