How car brands, dealerships and parts sellers use this format in Brazil, the videos that convert and how to start.
Why this format suits this market
Three reasons. The purchase is long and prepared online over weeks, which gives content time to circulate. Distances and road conditions make real use very different from a spec sheet. And car culture is strong, with active communities per model, which gives a naturally available audience.
The formats that convert
The owner's tour
The basic format, filmed by somebody who genuinely owns the vehicle. It beats a dealership visit because it shows wear, the storage actually used and the flaws owned up to.
The feature demonstration
One function per video, filmed in a real situation. Assisted parking in a tight space says more than a list of ten features.
The testimonial
It works when it covers a specific use, a daily commute, a job, a family, rather than a general opinion.
The fitting or tutorial
The most useful format for parts and accessories sellers: showing the installation, the tools needed and the real time it takes.
What to film over a week
Seven shots, all easy to get.
The loaded boot, dealt with above.
The gauge at the end of the week, with no commentary.
Parking in a genuinely tight space.
Fitting a child seat, in one take.
The most frequent journey, filmed from the passenger seat.
The storage used day to day.
And the cleaning, which shows the materials in use.
Where the video runs
Six placements, from the most productive to the slowest.
Sales listings, where the video replaces ten photos.
Paid advertising targeted by area.
Model pages on the brand's site.
Replies to test drive requests.
Groups and communities per model, where their rules allow it.
And screens in the dealership, often forgotten.
What to ask the owner before filming
Six questions, asked on the phone.
How long they have owned the vehicle.
How many kilometres they do a week, and what for.
What they discovered after three months of use.
What they would change if buying again.
What they do not want shown on camera.
And what people around them most often ask about this car.
Finding the right creators, and framing what they show
Six methods, from the most reliable to the slowest.
Looking among owners of the model concerned.
Going through brand communities and clubs.
Seeing who already films maintenance videos.
Contacting mechanics and tuners.
Using a marketplace and filtering by category.
And calling back those who have already filmed for you, whose result you know.
What must never be shown
Seven situations that make a video unusable.
Speeding, even implied.
A dangerous manoeuvre or driving without a seatbelt.
A phone held in the hand while driving.
A readable number plate.
A child badly secured in their seat.
A modification that would breach the applicable rules.
And a consumption or range figure with no source, to be checked with the brand.
What to write in the brief
Six mentions, short.
The exact model, with its trim and year.
The functions to show, one per video.
The permitted claims, approved by the brand.
The safety rules to respect during the shoot.
The formats expected and their length.
And the person who approves, with their turnaround.
What parts buyers are looking for
Seven pieces of information, rarely supplied.
The exact compatibility, model and year.
The real installation time, timed.
The tools needed, shown on the table.
What has to be removed first.
The noise and behaviour after fitting.
What happens if the part does not fit.
And the warranty period, stated by the brand, not by the creator.
How to shoot a safe demonstration
Seven rules, all non-negotiable.
Filming stationary, engine off, for any handling.
Handing driving to somebody else if filming while moving.
Fixing the camera, never holding it at the wheel.
Respecting the applicable traffic rules, with no exception.
Filming on private ground for any unusual manoeuvre.
Showing the seatbelt fastened in every interior shot.
And cutting at the edit any shot that leaves a doubt.
The mistakes specific to this category
Six reflexes that spoil the content.
Washing the car before every shot, which makes it unreal.
Filming only at sunset.
Showing a model not sold locally.
Announcing a price, which varies by dealership.
Having a consumption figure stated with no source.
And filming only in town when the buyer drives on the open road.
What to measure
Six indicators, none of them views.
The number of test drive requests citing the video.
Time spent on the model page.
The contact rate from listings containing the video.
Recurring questions that disappear after release.
Performance by geographic area.
And the video's lifespan in paid advertising.
How to work with a dealership
Six points to settle before starting.
Who supplies the vehicle and for how long.
Who approves the claims, brand or dealership.
What can be filmed in the showroom and the workshop.
What becomes of the videos if the stock changes.
The sharing of content between dealerships in the network.
And the person who answers during the shoot.
What is filmed on a vehicle
| Shot | What it proves | The constraint |
|---|---|---|
| The exterior in motion | The real presence | A permitted location, never in traffic |
| The interior at a standstill | Space and finish | Engine off |
| A gesture of use | The ergonomics | A hand, a detail, no cut |
What is never filmed while driving
Nothing. Any shot from the driving position in motion is done with a dedicated operator on a closed location, never by the person at the wheel.
What is verified before stating a figure
A consumption, a range, a power output or a safety rating. Each is read on the official documentation and confirmed with the manufacturer, never taken from another article.
Licensing the content for advertising and listings
Seven clauses to write.
Use in paid advertising, invoiced separately.
Use in sales listings, often forgotten.
The duration, at least twelve months.
The territory, national if you sell in several states.
The right to recrop and re-edit.
Use of the owner's face, separate from use of the vehicle.
And the fate of the rushes, useful for recutting a demonstration.
One last marker: in this category, the content that sells is not the one showing the cleanest car, it is the one showing the most ordinary week.
