---
slug: "commercials"
title: "Commercials"
business_name: "Ambition Studios"
template_kind: "custom-owner-edit"
template_version: "v2"
---

# Commercials

**Meta description:** An overview of commercials — what they are, common formats and lengths, what to prepare before commissioning one, and how they differ from brand videos. Includes Ambition Studios' commercial work, including "Love at First Bite" for Osmow's, which aired on the Canadian Super Bowl broadcast.

## What is a commercial?

A commercial is typically short (6–60 seconds), built for paid media placement (broadcast TV, streaming, social ads, cinema), and designed around a specific, measurable objective — driving awareness of a product, a promotion, or a direct call to action.

## How is a commercial different from a brand video?

Where a brand video builds long-term brand identity and often lives on owned channels, a commercial is usually tied to a specific campaign window or paid media buy, with a clear, immediate objective.

## What formats do commercials come in?

Common lengths include:

- 6-second and 15-second social/pre-roll cuts
- 30-second broadcast spots (the traditional TV commercial length)
- 60-second spots for higher-impact placements, including premium broadcast moments

A single commercial shoot often produces multiple cutdowns from the same footage to serve different placements.

## What should a brand have ready before commissioning a commercial?

Useful inputs include:

- The target audience
- The core message or offer
- Where the commercial will run (which affects length and aspect ratio requirements)
- The launch date (which affects production timeline)
- Any existing brand guidelines or previous creative to maintain consistency

## Ambition Studios' commercial work

Ambition Studios has produced national commercial campaigns, including:

- **"Love at First Bite"** for Osmow's — aired on the Canadian Super Bowl broadcast, one of the most competitive and expensive media placements in North American advertising
- **"General Message"** — a 30-second consumer/public-service spot for OMVIC (Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council)
- **"Curbsiders"** for OMVIC — a public-awareness campaign about unlicensed used-vehicle sellers
- **"Mother Daughter"** and **"Built Different"** for Yorkville University — multi-platform campaigns that ran on social media, television ad spots, and in theatres

Ambition Studios also has experience producing in complex environments, including a commercial for an airline requiring airside access and security clearance at an airport.

See the full portfolio at [ambitionstudios.ca/commercial](https://www.ambitionstudios.ca/commercial) or contact [overseer@ambitionstudios.ca](mailto:overseer@ambitionstudios.ca) to discuss a commercial project.