TL;DR: Automotive brands that use professional video in model launches and EV education content see 62% higher test-drive booking rates and measurably lower cost-per-acquisition than static digital display alone. From dealer launch events and track-day sponsorship films to OEM-compliant brand content and EV charging explainers, MKTRL Production delivers automotive video from £2,000 for a dealer launch film up to £16,000 for a full OEM-aligned campaign package.
Why Automotive Video Is a Revenue-Critical Channel
The UK automotive market generates over £70bn in annual retail turnover, and the shift to electric vehicles has fundamentally reset what consumers need to know before they buy. A customer considering a £45,000 BEV has 3–4 times more questions than the same customer buying an equivalent ICE vehicle five years ago. Range, charging infrastructure, home-charger installation, workplace charging schemes, and battery warranty are all considerations that written FAQs cannot resolve with the same efficiency as a well-produced 90-second explainer. Meanwhile, OEMs are tightening brand-compliance requirements as electrification forces a repositioning of every marque. Dealers and fleet managers who produce compliant, high-quality content are rewarded with co-op funding. Those who produce off-brand content are penalised. MKTRL's automotive workflow is built to work within OEM brand frameworks from day one.
Sector-Specific Communications: Dealers, Fleets, and OEMs
Automotive video content spans four distinct audiences, each demanding a different tone and format:
- Retail dealer content — local, conversion-focused, time-sensitive. New-model launch events, stock-arrival reels, and seasonal sales promotions. Tone is enthusiastic but never pressured.
- Fleet and B2B content — data-led, total-cost-of-ownership focused, employer benefit scheme oriented. A fleet manager needs to justify an EV transition to their FD; your video needs to make that case with whole-life cost data, BIK tax tables, and charging infrastructure economics front and centre.
- Consumer EV education — accessible, anxiety-reducing, myth-busting. "Can I charge at home? What happens on a long journey? How long does a charge take?" Answered visually, with real products, real chargers, and real drivers.
- OEM brand and track content — performance, heritage, aspiration. Track-day sponsorship films and model-reveal content must adhere to OEM visual identity guidelines with absolute precision. A logo at the wrong size or a colour value that drifts outside the brand palette will trigger a compliance rejection.
Format Mix: Automotive Video That Sells
| Format | Typical Price Band | Primary Use | Recommended Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dealer launch film | £2,000 – £4,500 | Social media, website, showroom screen | 60 – 90 sec |
| EV charging explainer | £2,500 – £4,000 | Website, PPC landing pages, fleet packs | 90 sec – 3 min |
| Track-day sponsorship film | £4,000 – £7,500 | OEM submissions, events, social | 2 – 4 min |
| Fleet transition campaign | £3,500 – £6,500 | B2B sales, HR communications | 3 – 5 min |
| OEM brand campaign package | £10,000 – £16,000 | Co-op funded dealer campaign | Suite of 5–8 assets |
OEM Brand Guidelines: Why They Matter and How We Work Within Them
Every major OEM — from Volkswagen Group and Stellantis to JLR and BMW — publishes brand identity guidelines that dealers and approved partners must follow when producing co-branded content. These guidelines cover:
- Logo placement, sizing, and exclusion zones — minimum logo size, pixel-precise exclusion zones, and prohibited placements on animated backgrounds are all specified. We obtain the current brand toolkit for every OEM we work with before the first frame is shot.
- Colour palette — OEM brand colours are specified in RAL, Pantone, and RGB/HEX values. We match all on-screen graphics to these values in Adobe After Effects using the supplied colour profiles. Visual deviation from the brand palette is the most common reason dealer content is rejected for co-op funding.
- Typography — most OEMs supply proprietary typefaces that must be used in all on-screen text. We licence or procure these fonts as part of the pre-production process.
- Music and sound — many OEM guidelines specify approved music genres or tempo ranges, and some prohibit competitor brand audio. We clear all music through PRS/MCPS-licensed sources that meet the specific brief.
- Vehicle presentation standards — detail requirements for vehicle cleanliness, tyre condition, location appropriateness, and shot composition vary by marque. Luxury brands (JLR, BMW M, Mercedes-AMG) have the most precise requirements; volume brands are typically more flexible.
MKTRL maintains a brand-compliance file for each OEM we regularly work with. If you are working with a brand we have not previously filmed for, allow an additional 5 working days in pre-production for brand toolkit review and approval.
EV Charging Explainers: The Most In-Demand Format in Automotive Right Now
The single biggest barrier to EV adoption in the UK is not range anxiety — it is charging anxiety. A 2024 RAC survey found that 58% of ICE drivers cite uncertainty about home and public charging as their primary reason for delaying an EV purchase. A well-produced 2-minute explainer that walks through the 3 charging tiers (3kW home, 7kW home/workplace, 50–350kW rapid public), explains typical overnight top-up costs, and shows a real homecharger installation sequence removes this barrier at scale. This is currently the highest-viewed category of automotive content on YouTube UK, with average watch-through rates of 71% — nearly double the automotive category average. MKTRL produces EV charging explainers from £2,500, updated as OZEV and LEVI scheme regulations change.
Track-Day Sponsorship Films: Performance Content Under OEM Guardrails
Track-day sponsorship is one of the most visually compelling content opportunities in automotive, but it is also the most compliance-sensitive. MKTRL's track-day production protocol covers:
- Speed: never show on-screen speedometers or reference specific speeds in narration — this applies to all public-facing content irrespective of the track environment.
- Safety equipment — all filmed track participants must be shown wearing HANS devices, Nomex suits, and FIA-compliant helmets. Any content showing track driving without safety equipment visible will not be published.
- Disclaimer cards — all track content includes an end-card: "Filmed on a closed circuit by professional drivers. Do not attempt on public roads."
- ASA CAP Code 18.14 — no vehicle must be shown in a way that condones dangerous, competitive, or inconsiderate driving. We review all track edits against this standard before delivery.
Case-Study Ideas: Automotive Stories That Drive Purchase Intent
- "The fleet manager who went full EV" — follow one company's transition from diesel fleet to full BEV, featuring the fleet manager, drivers, and the FD. Show the whole-life cost savings in real numbers. Highly shareable on LinkedIn and in fleet management trade press.
- "75 miles from home" — a real EV owner charges at home overnight, drives 75 miles to a meeting, charges for 20 minutes at a rapid charger during a coffee break, and returns home with 40% remaining. Destroys range anxiety with data and authenticity.
- "New to the range" — dealer launch-night film capturing the reveal of a new model, dealer principal commentary, and first customer test-drive reactions. Typically produced in 48 hours from shoot to social publication, maximising launch-moment momentum.
- "Behind the track programme" — documentary short following the preparation and logistics of a manufacturer-backed track day experience. Works both as customer marketing and as an internal retention piece for high-value customers.
- "Workshop to delivery" — used-car preparation process from part-exchange inspection through mechanical check, valet, photography, and delivery ceremony. Builds consumer trust in approved-used programmes and supports premium pricing.
Budget Bands and What to Expect
- £2,000 – £4,500: Single-day shoot at dealership or chosen location, 1–2 edited outputs, social format exports. Suitable for a model-launch event film or an EV explainer.
- £4,500 – £8,000: Two-day shoot, 3–4 deliverables, OEM brand compliance review, drone (where location permits), voiceover, colour grade. Suitable for a fleet campaign or track-day sponsorship film.
- £8,000 – £16,000: Full OEM-aligned campaign — multi-location shoot, track day footage, EV suite, fleet pack, dealer launch film, social series, OEM brand toolkit compliant. Co-op funding eligible for approved OEM partners.
MKTRL Production Packages for Automotive
- Dealer Launch — £2,400: half-day shoot, model launch film (90 sec), event highlights reel, social-format exports (16:9, 9:16, 1:1), OEM logo placement compliant.
- EV Campaign — £5,500: full-day shoot, EV charging explainer (2 min), fleet transition overview (3 min), 6 social cuts, OEM brand-compliant motion graphics.
- Brand Campaign — £13,500: two-day shoot (dealership + track), full OEM compliance review, track-day sponsorship film, model launch film, EV explainer, fleet pack video, 8 deliverables, social series. Co-op funding documentation supplied.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you produce content that qualifies for OEM co-op marketing funding?
Yes. We are familiar with co-op funding requirements for the major UK-market OEMs including Volkswagen Group, JLR, BMW Group, and Stellantis. We supply a brand-compliance checklist with every deliverable and can provide the documentation required to submit a co-op claim. Specific funding eligibility must be confirmed with your OEM area manager before production begins.
Do you film at racetracks? Which circuits have you worked at?
Yes. We have filmed at Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Bedford Autodrome, and Anglesey Circuit. Track-day filming requires public liability insurance of £5m minimum, which MKTRL holds as standard. Track authority pre-approval is required for all professional video crews; we handle this as part of pre-production.
How do you film moving vehicles safely without a second vehicle or drone?
We use a combination of methodologies depending on the brief and location: a tracking vehicle with a stabilised arm rig, a lightweight drone (where airspace permits), a static multiple-camera setup for arrivals and departures, and internally-mounted GoPro-style rigs for driver-perspective footage. All moving-vehicle filming uses closed-road permits or track authority permission — we never film moving vehicles on public roads without the appropriate permissions.
Can you produce EV content that explains government grants and LEVI scheme updates?
Yes, but all government scheme information must be verified against current OZEV guidance at the time of filming. We include an update clause in our EV explainer packages: if a government scheme changes within 6 months of delivery, we update the relevant on-screen text at no additional cost.
What is the turnaround for a dealer launch-night film?
We offer a 48-hour rush turnaround for dealer launch films — shoot on launch night, first cut delivered by the morning of day 2, approved and published by end of day 2. This is specifically designed for new-model reveal moments where social momentum peaks in the first 24 hours.
Can you produce content for electric motorcycle and micro-mobility brands?
Yes. EV content principles apply across all electric mobility categories. Micro-mobility content (e-bikes, e-scooters, cargo bikes) is increasingly in demand from fleet operators and urban logistics brands. Priced equivalently to our automotive packages.
Do you produce used-vehicle marketing content for independent dealers?
Yes. Independent dealers without OEM co-op funding eligibility are one of our fastest-growing client segments. A monthly retained package — covering 2 half-day shoots per month and a social content calendar — starts from £1,400/month on a 6-month minimum agreement.
Can the same video work for both consumer and fleet audiences?
Rarely without editing. Consumer content is emotional and experience-led; fleet content is analytical and cost-led. We typically produce a master version at 4 minutes, then cut a 90-second consumer edit and a 3-minute data-led fleet edit from the same shoot day, maximising your production investment.