At Lapse Productions, promotional videos are the most requested video type we produce, and the most misunderstood. A promotional video is a marketing video that showcases a product, service, or brand to drive one specific action: a purchase, a signup, a booked call. It sits under the corporate video umbrella, runs anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, and professional production typically starts between $3,410 and $8,000 depending on the package. This guide covers what promotional videos are, the main types with real examples, what they cost in 2026, and how the production process works.
The short answer
- A promotional video is a marketing video built to showcase a product, service, or brand and drive one specific action.
- The main types are explainer, product demo, testimonial, and company culture videos.
- Professional production starts around $3,410 and runs to $8,000 and up, driven by crew size and editing complexity.
- It is made in three stages: pre-production, production, and post-production, usually 2 to 4 weeks end to end.
What is a promotional video?
A promotional video is a short marketing video that presents a product, service, or brand to a target audience and directs them toward a clear next step. Unlike entertainment content, every element serves the goal: the story builds interest, the message explains the value, and the call to action tells viewers exactly what to do next.
What is a corporate promotional video?
A corporate promotional video is a promotional video made by a business rather than a creator or media company. It is one branch of the corporate video family, sitting alongside recruitment, training, investor relations, and event videos. If you are weighing which branch fits your goal, our guide to the 9 types of corporate videos breaks down the full menu. The promotional branch is the one aimed at customers: it exists to create awareness and generate demand.
What are the types of promotional videos?
Four formats cover most of the promotional work businesses commission:
1. Explainer video
Explainers simplify a complex product or service into a short, engaging walkthrough. They are the workhorse for software, fintech, and anything that needs a “here is how it works” moment.
2. Product demo video
Demos showcase the features and benefits of a physical or digital product in action, giving buyers the closest thing to hands-on experience before purchase.
3. Testimonial video
Testimonials put a real customer on camera to tell their result. Nothing you say about your own company carries the same weight as a client saying it for you.
4. Company culture video
Culture videos humanize the brand: the people, the values, the way you work. They pull double duty across marketing and recruitment.
Examples of promotional videos
The fastest way to understand the format is to watch it. Here are four promotional videos Lapse Productions produced for clients across different industries. Press play to load each one:
What makes a promotional video work?
- One audience, one message. The strongest promos are built around a single viewer and the single thing they need to understand. Videos that try to say everything convert nothing.
- A hook in the first five seconds. Attention is earned immediately or not at all, especially in social feeds.
- A clear call to action. Visit the site, book a call, start a trial. The video’s last job is telling the viewer their next step.
- Production quality that matches the promise. Viewers read production value as a proxy for how you run your business.
How much does a promotional video cost in 2026?
Cost is driven by three things: crew size, filming days, and editing complexity. Our packages give you the realistic starting points:
| Package | Starting price (CAD) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | $3,410 | Interviews and straightforward updates, one-person crew |
| Standard | $6,000 | Story-driven promos with B-roll and a full crew |
| Premium | $8,000+ | High-end production with motion graphics and advanced editing |
Animation, extra filming days, and rush timelines move the number up. For the full cost breakdown across every video type, read how much a video costs.
How do you make a promotional video?
Every promotional video moves through the same three stages of the video production process:
- Pre-production. Strategy, script, storyboard, casting, locations, and schedule. This stage decides whether the video works; everything after executes the plan.
- Production. Filming day. Crew, cameras, lighting, and audio capture the footage the storyboard calls for.
- Post-production. Editing, sound design, motion graphics, and colour grading turn the footage into the final video, usually with two rounds of revisions.
When should you use a promotional video?
Product and service launches, campaign pushes, trade shows, paid ad creative, and any page where a visitor decides whether to buy. If the goal is awareness or demand, it is promotional territory. If the goal is educating employees or reporting to investors, a different corporate video type fits better.
Need a promotional video?
Lapse Productions plans, films, and edits promotional videos in Toronto end to end, alongside the rest of our video production services. Tell us the product, the audience, and the goal, and we will translate your vision into video.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a promotional video and a commercial?
A commercial is a paid ad built for fixed broadcast or pre-roll slots, usually 15, 30, or 60 seconds. A promotional video is a broader marketing asset you control: any length, any platform, from your website to social feeds to sales meetings. Most businesses get more mileage from the promotional video.
How long should a promotional video be?
Between 30 seconds and 3 minutes, depending on where it will live. For social feeds and paid placements, 60 to 90 seconds is the sweet spot. Website and sales videos can run longer when the story earns it. Either way, put the hook in the first five seconds.
How much does a promotional video cost in Toronto?
Lapse Productions packages start at $3,410 for a simple one-camera production, $6,000 for a standard full-crew shoot, and $8,000 and up for premium productions with advanced editing. Crew size, filming days, and editing complexity drive the price, so a custom quote pins down the exact number.
How long does it take to make a promotional video?
A typical promotional video takes one to two weeks from filming to final delivery, with pre-production adding another week or two up front for scripting, storyboarding, and scheduling. Rush orders are available when a launch date will not move.
What types of promotional videos work best for B2B?
Explainer videos, customer testimonials, and company culture videos consistently perform best for B2B. Explainers simplify the offer, testimonials provide third-party proof for longer sales cycles, and culture videos support trust and recruitment. Most B2B brands end up rotating all three across the funnel.
About the author
Dario Nouri is a Producer and Co-Founder of Lapse Productions, a Toronto video production company creating results-based content since 2014. He also hosts Creatives Grab Coffee, a podcast on the business of video production.
Pricing reflects Lapse Productions’ current production packages as of August 2026. Video examples are Lapse Productions client work.