How Much Does it Cost to Make a Great TV Commercial?

You want to reach target customers with information about your product. You’ve researched your advertising options and concluded that the best choice for you is a TV commercial. After much brainstorming, you have some great ideas. There’s just one problem.

The process of producing a TV commercial is entirely new to you. While there may be some things you can learn as you go, your ad can’t move forward until you find the answer to one important question: how much does it cost to make a great TV commercial? 

If you can’t figure that out, you can’t even begin to set the budget for your TV ad.

Fortunately, we can provide you with the answer you need. Additionally, we have some tips for helping to ensure your first TV ad production gets the best results possible.

Your Ad Budget: What to Expect

It is nearly impossible to quantify your precise cost of production or any other expenses associated with getting your television commercial made and distributed. On the low end of things, you could pay around $1,500. At the high end, your commercial could easily cost over $100,000.

What Factors into the Cost of an Ad?

There are so many things that can impact the cost of producing a television commercial. To start, there’s a good chance that the brand with a six-figure budget is using a professional production company and studio to create and edit their video. 

They may have spent a significant amount of money hiring talent to star in the commercial. Additionally, their budget may include buying premium advertising time and space.

Conversely, a low-budget commercial might use talent from within your own company or someone who isn’t known on such a large scale, such as a local personality or micro-influencer. Steps such as script writing and editing have probably been taken care of “in-house” as well.

Is Expensive Always Better?

No, expensive isn’t always better. The best ad is one that results in the best return on your investment. Basically, you want to know if the ad engages audiences. Did the resulting sales generate enough revenue to pay for production and distribution costs and create some profit?

There are brands that have had six or seven-figure ad campaigns that absolutely flopped. On the other hand, there are companies that have spent less than $5,000 on ads that were wildly successful.

Does this mean you should aim to produce your commercial on as limited a budget as possible? Not necessarily. There may be extras that can improve your production values and help you reach your audience with a compelling message. Those are always worth spending money on.

Creating a Great Commercial on a Budget

If you are concerned with production costs, you probably don’t have six figures to spend on a commercial. Additionally, you may not have access to production companies, expensive equipment, or well-known personalities. 

What you do have is an idea for a commercial and a need to produce on a budget. These video production steps will help you with that.

Plan a Simple Commercial that Reaches Your Goals

Start with a very basic but solid idea. It should showcase your product and highlight its best features. Then, ensure that you have a clear call to action for your viewers. 

Now, think of the elements you need to produce a commercial to execute that simple but powerful idea. These might include:

• A script
• Someone to do a voice over
• A room to act as a studio
• The proper audio/video equipment

This list should allow you to plan and produce a commercial that is effective and stays within your budget. If you have additional money in your budget, you can consider the next step.

Identify Areas of Improvement and Invest in Those When It Makes Sense

So you have the extra money in your budget. That’s great. You may be able to add some elements that improve production values or make your commercial more engaging. 

Think about your target audience and what might be compelling for them. Also, consider your product. Is there anything you can add to your commercial that will highlight its best features even more? Here are some ideas:

• Hiring a professional to appear in the commercial
• Upgrade the lighting you use to film the product
• Filming on location to add more interest

Finally, consider the length of your spot. If you have the budget for it, would it be better to expand a 30-second commercial into a 60-second commercial? The idea is to maximize your ROI when you upgrade your production values. Don’t add elements simply because you can afford to.