There are five main types of video for business: advertising, corporate film, brand film, internal corporate video and social media content. Each one serves a different goal. Choosing the right type is what separates a video that just looks good from a video that works for the business.
This guide explains what each one is, when it makes sense and how to decide. It is the foundation we build on across our other articles.
1. Video advertising
The ad is the most directly commercial type of video: to sell a product, launch a service, power a campaign. It is short, hooks you in the first seconds and has a clear call to action.
It works well in paid campaigns (Google, Meta, YouTube), on television and in the feed. The strength of a good ad is in the idea, not just the production: the right message, said the right way, to the right audience. See an example in the XpertSoft case, an ad for an AI service.
2. Corporate film
The corporate film answers the question “who are you and why should I trust you?”. It introduces the company, the team, the culture, the way of working and the values.
It is the video you put on your homepage, show in a sales meeting or play at an event. It does not sell aggressively: it builds credibility. For many companies, it is the first video to make, because it works as a business card.
3. Brand film
The brand film is the most emotional and narrative of business videos. Instead of explaining what the company does, it builds what the brand means, through a story, with cinema-level direction.
It does not talk about features or prices. It talks about purpose, emotion and positioning. It is the video that sets a brand apart from others doing the same thing. We go deep in What is a brand film, and show a real example in the SIGNA case.
4. Internal and corporate video
This covers everything that serves company operations and communication: recruitment videos, training, internal communication, results presentations, leadership messages.
Many companies underestimate these, but they save time, align teams and improve employer image. A good recruitment video, for instance, attracts better candidates than any text ad.
5. Social media content
Unlike the others, this is not a single video: it is a recurring stream. Short vertical videos designed to keep the brand active and present in the feed, week after week.
The secret is consistency with careful production. Publishing a lot is not enough; each piece must reinforce the same direction and the same level of quality.
Bonus: event coverage
If your company runs events, each one is a content goldmine. An aftermovie captures the energy of the day, and the right coverage turns a few hours into months of material for social.
How to choose the right type
The question to ask is not “which video do I want?”, it is “what goal do I have?”. From there, the right type appears:
- Sell a product or service → Advertising
- Introduce the company and build trust → Corporate film
- Differentiate the brand and create meaning → Brand film
- Recruit, train or communicate internally → Corporate video
- Stay present and active in the feed → Social content
- Make the most of an event → Aftermovie and coverage
In most cases the answer is not a single video: it is a combination, phased across the year. And it almost always starts by defining the strategy before the camera rolls, which is the part that makes the difference in the result.
To figure out which type of video fits your moment, talk to us or see our work and services for business.
Frequently asked questions
Which type of video should a company start with?+
It depends on the goal. To sell a product or service, start with advertising. To introduce the company and build trust, start with a corporate film. If the goal is medium-term brand positioning, a brand film is the strongest choice.
What is the difference between a corporate film and a brand film?+
The corporate film explains who the company is, what it does and how it works, clearly and directly. The brand film is more emotional and narrative: it builds the meaning of the brand through a story, with cinema-level direction.
How much does a business video cost in Portugal?+
There is no single price. It varies with the type of video, shooting days, crew, resources (drone, studio, actors) and editing complexity. We always build a proposal tailored to the goal, with no commitment.
Can a single shooting day produce several videos?+
Yes, and it is the most cost-effective way to work. With planning, one shooting day can produce a main video plus several cuts for social media, reusing the same set, lighting and crew.
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