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Jingle, Explainer Video or Ad Agency: What Fits a Small Local Business
A fair look at jingles, explainer videos and ad agencies for a small local business: what each does well, what it costs you in time, and how to choose.
Quick answers
- Does a small business need an ad agency?
- Not always. An agency makes sense when you need ongoing planning, ad buying and many pieces of work. If you need one clear piece to use for years, a single project may be enough.
- What's the difference between a jingle and an explainer video?
- A jingle is a short song that helps people remember your name and number. An explainer video walks people through what you do and why it matters, usually with a voiceover.
- Can I combine them?
- Yes. Some owners want a short song for recognition and a longer piece that explains the work. An explainer music video does both in one.
You know your business needs something better than a boosted post and a logo on the Little League fence. But when you start looking, you find three very different options: a jingle, an explainer video or an ad agency. They cost different amounts, take different amounts of your time and do different jobs.
Here's a fair look at each one, so you can pick the one that fits where your business is right now.
A jingle: for being remembered
A jingle is a short song, usually around 30 seconds, built around your business name and how to reach you.
What it does well:
- Helps people remember your name and number.
- Works in many places: radio, on hold, Facebook, events.
- Gets more familiar every time people hear it.
- Usually a one-time cost.
Where it falls short:
- Thirty seconds can't explain a complicated service.
- A jingle that's only audio needs a video to work on social media.
Good fit if: people already understand what you do, and your challenge is getting them to think of you first. Plumbers, roofers, pizza places, auto shops.
An explainer video: for being understood
An explainer video walks a viewer through what you do, usually in one to three minutes, often with a voiceover, simple pictures and on-screen text.
What it does well:
- Explains something that's hard to grasp in a sentence, like how a radon system works or how a heat pump works.
- Answers the same questions you answer on every sales call.
- Works on your website, in emails and in follow-ups after a quote.
Where it falls short:
- A plain explainer can be easy to forget once it's over.
- People don't usually rewatch or share them for fun.
- A longer video doesn't fit a 15-second ad or a radio spot.
Good fit if: your customers need to understand something before they'll call, and you're tired of explaining it over and over.
An ad agency: for ongoing help
An agency is a team that plans and runs your marketing over time: ads, social media, design, sometimes media buying and reports.
What it does well:
- Handles many moving parts so you don't have to.
- Can plan a full year of campaigns across many channels.
- Gives you people to call when you need something new.
Where it falls short:
- Usually involves a monthly retainer or ongoing fees, so the cost adds up.
- Takes your time too: meetings, approvals, briefings.
- It's worth asking how much attention a small account gets.
Good fit if: you have a steady marketing budget, need lots of different work and want someone else to manage it.
Agencies vary a lot. A good local one that knows your town can be a real partner. If you talk to one, ask exactly what's included each month, how long the contract runs and what you own if you leave.
How to choose
Ask yourself three questions:
- Do people know what I do? If yes, a jingle may be enough. If no, you need something that explains it.
- Do I need one thing or ongoing help? One clear piece you can use for years is a project. A steady stream of ads, posts and plans is a relationship.
- How much time do I have? Some options need you in meetings every month. Others need an hour or two of your time, once.
There's no wrong answer. Plenty of small businesses use a single good piece for years and add other help later.
Where a song fits
An explainer music video sits between the first two: a song that's catchy enough to remember, with a story that explains what you do. The short video on this page shows what that looks like.
Our Story package is a 2-minute song that tells your business's story (the problem, how you fix it, why folks trust you) with a widescreen video for your website and YouTube, plus a 30-second jingle with a vertical video for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. It's $1,950, paid once, with no monthly fee. You okay every word before the video is made, and you don't pay until you've seen the result. If you'd like to talk it through, have us call you.