Despite the fact that both video production companies and general marketing agencies basically have their job descriptions in their names, there’s still a bit of confusion regarding the difference between the two. And seeing how some marketing agencies produce videos and some production companies offer video marketing, we understand the confusion.
However, each company has very different goals when it comes to serving their customers. Knowing the difference could save you a lot of time, effort, and resources when you’re out looking to source your next video project or marketing campaign.
Creativity vs. Business Objectives
Something that differentiates video production companies from general marketing agencies is what they ultimately prioritize in terms of achieving their client’s objectives.
Generally speaking, both marketing and production agencies will (obviously) follow what the client wants. However, a marketing company is more likely to tailor their video towards what they believe will get the most likes, views, and engagement. A video production company, on the other hand, is more likely to focus on the artistry and creative aspect of video creation.
This isn’t to say that video production companies don’t care about views, or that marketing agencies don’t care about presentation. As we mentioned, both hold the client’s wishes paramount. However, when it comes to giving suggestions or taking certain liberties, a video production agency will most likely recommend approaches for the script, concept, or visuals that will increase its value as a video.
A marketing agency, on the other hand, is more likely to recommend methods for the distribution and presentation of the video that will increase its value as a marketable content piece.
Specialization vs. Specialties
As the name suggests, a video production company specializes purely in video production. This, of course, means that all processes involved in all three stages of video production—from pre-production to post-production—may be offered. So services like script writing, storyboarding, animation, sound editing, camera operation, and set creation can be expected, depending on the production company’s resources.
But no matter how extensive their services are, their focus is purely video creation.
When you work with a production company, you have access to their technical expertise with cameras and editing software. You can also utilize their industry experience regarding cinematography and motion to create stunning visuals. But anything beyond the realm of video production—like graphic creation or logo design—is definitely not going to be part of their repertoire.
General marketing agencies, on the other hand, have a broad range of specialties that all have to do with marketing. Ergo, they offer more variety in terms of services, and can be considered more diverse than video production companies. Some typical examples of their services include video editing, general content creation (i.e. blogs, articles, graphics, etc.) marketing strategy and analytics, and social media posting.
Their focus lies primarily on marketing rather than video production. So you could technically get a video produced by a marketing agency, but you’d have to first provide the raw footage, script, and concept for them to edit.
Content Creation vs. Distribution
That being said, the biggest difference between video production companies and marketing agencies is their primary offer. A video production company is ultimately all about content creation—with the content in question being video. They focus on bringing scripts and concepts to life through audio-visual means. They might help pinpoint where the video is sure to draw the most engagement if distribution is part of their post-production services, but overall their job is finished the moment they hand you the fully edited product.
Marketing agencies, on the other hand, focus on distribution. They can create pieces of content or outsource the creation to other agencies, but their ultimate goal is getting the content out and in front of the people who matter. Their KPIs involve lead generation, organic traffic, video engagement, post shares, and so on.
Choosing between video production companies or marketing agencies will ultimately depend on what your business needs. If you’re looking to revamp your strategy or increase convertible leads, general marketing agencies would be your best bet. But if you’re looking to create a video—or several videos—that are high-value and high-quality, you’ll need a company that focuses purely on video production and not much else.
