Six creative examples of product videos to inspire your own efforts

Product videos are a very effective online sales tool as they give a better view of the item and help to answer any queries the customer might have.

We've previously blogged a number of case studies from retailers that have boosted conversions by as much as 160% by using product videos, so the potential impact of the feature shouldn't be ignored.

But the precise use of video will differ depending on what you're trying to sell, as clothing retailers will obviously have a different sales pitch to a software vendor. So with this in mind here are six examples of businesses that got creative with their product videos.

And to find out more about how to get creative with marketing, come to Econsultancy's Punch event. Curated by Creative Review, Punch showcases the best of insight-driven creative and forms part of our week-long Festival of Marketing extravaganza.

PadMapper

With the awesome tagline 'Making apartment hunting suck less' and a cheerful French narrator, the animated video for PadMapper manages to be both informative and humorous at the same time.

It explains what the product does in a clear, concise manner and captures the viewer's interest for the duration of the 100 second clip. 

I'm not entirely sure of the budget required for animated videos, but I would assume it is relatively cost effective considering that it has now clocked up more than 100,000 YouTube views. 

On the downside though, it lacks a call-to-action or even the company's URL.

Qubit

Software demos can make for a dull product video, so Qubit got creative by pitching its personalisation software in a race with a guy making a coffee.

The video doesn't really demonstrate what the product can do, but instead shows how simple it is to use the technology. It's a great example of how an everyday activity can be used to add a layer of intrigue to an otherwise ordinary product video. 

Advance Auto Parts

Advance Auto Parts is a well-worn example, but it's worth repeating as the company's 'how to' videos are a terrific example of using the channel for a soft sales approach.

It has a library of instructional videos that educate customers on various aspects of vehicle maintenance in the hope is that having watched the tutorial the viewer will buy all the necessary parts and equipment.

The content is of genuine use to its customers and has proved to be a success, as visitors who watch video stay on the site twice as long and visit twice as many pages versus those who don't see video.

Simply Hike

Simply Hike makes great use of product videos and has more than 2,000 clips on its YouTube channel.

Tents are one of those items that people are likely to want to see before they buy, so Simply Hike has created excellent videos that explain all the important information and allow customers to take a good look inside and outside of the tent. 

Shopify

Another animated feature, Shopify's video is just a minute long but it does a great job of explaining the company's service while making it seem like signing up is a very simple process.

The music and the narrator's voice are both quite soothing, so it relaxes the viewer and helps to convince them of the benefits of using Shopify. 

ASOS

ASOS includes videos on all its product pages which allows customers to get a much better view of the clothing before they make a purchase.

Admittedly having a model posing in a pair of jeans isn't particularly creative but it's still worth flagging up as a way of using online video to increase sales.

Also some of them are unintentionally (or perhaps intentionally) hilarious, such as the utterly miserable plus size model and this guy who just loves to dance...