CTV Creative Production Costs: What to Budget

Creative production is a one-time investment that multiplies media efficiency. Underspending on creative undermines your entire CTV investment. Here’s what quality creative actually costs.

Production Cost Ranges

Production Level	Cost Range	What You Get
Basic	$8,000-15,000	Simple spots, limited production value
Professional	$15,000-30,000	Quality production, strategic messaging
Premium	$30,000-50,000	High production value, multiple versions
Broadcast-quality	$50,000-100,000+	Agency-level production, full campaign

For most PI firms, the $15,000-35,000 range delivers the quality needed for effective CTV campaigns.

What’s Included at Each Level

Basic ($8,000-15,000)

Single 30-second spot
Simple setups (office, courthouse steps)
Stock footage supplemented with original
Basic motion graphics
Standard audio/voiceover
Limited revisions

Best for: Testing concepts, tight budgets, single-market launch

Professional ($15,000-30,000)

30-second primary + 15-second cutdown
Professional locations/sets
Quality cinematography
Professional talent (actors or attorney on-camera)
Custom motion graphics
Professional color grading and audio
Multiple revision rounds

Best for: Most law firm CTV campaigns, balance of quality and efficiency

Premium ($30,000-50,000)

Multiple spot variations (2-3 concepts)
Higher-end production locations
Professional actors throughout
Advanced graphics/animation
Original music or premium licensing
Multiple versions for testing
Extended revision process

Best for: Larger markets, firms with significant media budgets, differentiation needs

Broadcast-Quality ($50,000-100,000+)

Full agency creative development
Multiple campaign concepts
High-end production across all elements
Celebrity or notable talent
Original scoring
Extensive market research
Full suite of versions and formats

Best for: Major market dominance, significant brand investment, firms spending $100K+/month on media

Cost Breakdown

Typical budget allocation within production:

Element	% of Budget
Pre-production (scripts, planning)	15-20%
Production (filming, talent)	40-50%
Post-production (editing, graphics)	25-35%
Talent/licensing	10-15%

Pre-Production

Concept development
Script writing
Storyboarding
Location scouting
Talent casting
Production planning

Production

Director and crew
Camera and lighting equipment
Location fees/permits
Talent fees (actors, attorneys)
Hair/makeup/wardrobe
Catering/logistics

Post-Production

Video editing
Color correction/grading
Motion graphics
Sound design
Music licensing
Voiceover recording
Final mastering

Creative Refresh Costs

Plan for ongoing creative investment:

Refresh Type	Cost	Frequency
Minor refresh (new end card, updated offers)	$2,000-5,000	Every 6 months
Moderate refresh (new versions, B-roll updates)	$5,000-12,000	Annually
Major refresh (new concept/campaign)	$15,000-35,000	Every 18-24 months

Creative fatigue is real. Campaigns using 3+ creative variations achieved 32% higher conversion rates.

See CTV Creative Fatigue for refresh strategy.

Why Creative Investment Matters

Creative quality directly impacts CPL:

Creative Quality	Typical CPL Impact
Below average	+50-100% CPL
Average	Baseline
Above average	-25-40% CPL
Excellent	-40-60% CPL

The math: $25K in great creative generating 40% lower CPL on $50K/month media = $20K savings monthly = $240K annually.

Creative investment pays for itself quickly.

Production Partners

Options for PI Firms

Full-service agencies:

Handle strategy through production
Higher costs but turnkey
Typical: $30-75K minimum projects

Production companies:

Execute your concept
Lower overhead than agencies
Typical: $15-40K for full production

Specialized legal video:

Understand legal advertising requirements
Know PI creative conventions
Often competitive pricing for legal niche

CTV partners with creative:

Some CTV platforms include production
Convenience of single vendor
Quality varies

What to Look For

+ Experience with legal advertising: understand compliance, bar rules
+ Quality reel: portfolio demonstrates capability and range
+ Clear process: defined timeline, revision expectations
+ CTV formatting expertise: streaming specs, completion optimization

Annual Creative Budget

For budget planning, allocate annually:

Annual Media	Creative Budget	Creative %
$200,000	$20,000-30,000	10-15%
$400,000	$30,000-45,000	7-11%
$600,000	$40,000-60,000	7-10%
$1,000,000+	$60,000-100,000	6-10%

First year requires more (initial production). Subsequent years focus on refresh.

Getting the Most from Your Budget

Efficiency Tips

Shoot multiple versions at once:

Film 30s, 15s, and cutdowns together
Test creative in single shoot
Same-day setup saves money

Plan for longevity:

Avoid dated references
Keep core message evergreen
Build for easy updates

Use footage strategically:

B-roll can update spots
Office footage reuses across versions
Stock footage supplements when appropriate

Test before full production:

Concept testing saves money
Script validation prevents reshoots
Know what works before investing

Quality vs. Budget Trade-offs

Option A

Option B

ROI Context

Creative is an investment, not an expense:

Example calculation:

Creative investment: $25,000
Media budget: $50,000/month
Without great creative: $450 CPL = 111 leads/month
With great creative: $300 CPL = 167 leads/month
Additional leads: 56/month × 12 = 672 annually
At 20% conversion and $25K case value: $3.36M in revenue

A $25K creative investment generating $3.36M in revenue. That’s 134x ROI. Before you count the media efficiency gains.

For complete cost analysis, see How Much Does CTV Cost.

References

IAB & Innovid. (2022). CTV takes center stage: 2022 video benchmarks. https://www.iab.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Innovid_CTV-Takes-Center-Stage.pdf