Video is usually a campaign's most expensive creative line and its most visible one. A good launch video can set the story of a race. A late, rushed spot can waste a media budget. This guide covers what Michigan campaigns should plan for when they hire a production company: the calendar, the formats, where the ads will run, and the questions to ask before you sign.
It's written for candidates, campaign managers, and consultants at every level, from city council and school board to statewide races, and for campaigns of any party.
Start with the Michigan calendar, not the shoot date
Michigan holds its statewide primary on the Tuesday after the first Monday in August of even-numbered years (MCL 168.534). In 2026 that was August 4, and the general election is November 3. Many local races follow the same dates, but some cities, school districts, and special elections don't, so confirm yours on the Michigan Secretary of State election calendar.
Absentee voting also starts weeks before Election Day, so a large share of your voters may decide well before November. Plan your video around the date ballots arrive, not the date polls open.
Here's a practical way to work backward from each election:
- 8–12 weeks out: hire and plan. Pick your production partner, agree on the message, and lock the script for your bio or launch spot. Production calendars get tight in late summer and fall, and rush work costs more.
- 6–8 weeks out: shoot your core footage. One well-planned production day can capture the candidate bio, testimonials, B-roll of the district, and material for several ads. Getting this "footage bank" early is the single best way to save money.
- 4–6 weeks out: finish and traffic the main spots. Leave time for revisions, legal review of disclaimers, and the delivery process stations and platforms require.
- Final 4 weeks: rapid response and GOTV. Keep your production team on call for debate clips, endorsement videos, contrast ads, and get-out-the-vote reminders.
If you're running in the August primary, this timeline starts in the spring. Many campaigns shoot once in early summer and a second time after the primary for general-election messaging.
Decide where your ads will run: cable, CTV, or social
Where your video runs shapes how it's written, shot, and delivered. Most campaigns use a mix.
Cable and broadcast TV. Still the standard for reaching older, high-turnout voters and for making a race feel serious. Stations and cable systems set their own technical specs (format, loudness, slates, and file delivery), so your production company should know how to build a broadcast- or cable-spec master. Visual Lion has produced many cable TV ads and delivers spot masters to those specs.
CTV and OTT (streaming). Ads on streaming services and smart TVs. They're full-screen like TV but can be targeted more narrowly by geography and audience. CTV usually wants the same high-quality master as cable, often in 15- and 30-second versions.
Social and digital video. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and pre-roll. These need vertical (9:16) and square versions, burned-in captions because many people watch muted, and a hook in the first seconds. Most major platforms also have their own political-ad authorization process, so start that early.
Shorter usually wins online. On the Hammoud for Mayor campaign in Dearborn, 15-second ads were viewed in full 4.2x more often than 30-second ads, and 13.2x more than 60-second ads, on social platforms. That doesn't make long-form useless. A two-minute bio still works on a website or at events. But plan short cutdowns from the start.
The formats most campaigns need
A typical Michigan campaign package includes some mix of:
- Launch or bio video (60–120 seconds) for the website, email, and earned media
- 30- and 15-second TV/CTV spots on your top issues
- 6-second bumpers for YouTube and pre-roll
- Testimonial and endorsement videos from local voices
- Contrast or response ads turned around quickly
- Rally, town hall, and event coverage, cut into same-day social clips
- Vertical social series for Reels, Shorts, and TikTok
- GOTV reminders timed to absentee and Election Day deadlines
The Hammoud campaign used seven distinct formats, which together delivered more than 3.8 million impressions. At a much larger scale, our work for the Michigan Democratic Party included 20+ videos, 2024 DNC coverage in Chicago, and a rally headlined by President Barack Obama.
Don't skip the multilingual question
Michigan's electorate isn't one audience. In Dearborn and much of Metro Detroit, reaching voters in Arabic can change your results. On the Hammoud campaign, Arabic-subtitled video had a 26% higher view-through rate on pre-roll/OTT and 24% higher retention at the halfway point on social media. Ask any production company whether they can write, direct, and subtitle in the languages your district speaks, not just translate a finished script. (More on this in our guide to Arabic and bilingual video in Metro Detroit.)
Disclaimers and compliance: check the current rules
Political ads need "paid for by" disclaimers, and the requirements depend on who is paying, the type of race, and the medium. Federal races follow Federal Election Commission rules. State and local races in Michigan follow the Michigan Campaign Finance Act. The rules change, and their details (such as wording, size, duration, and whether the candidate must appear or speak) matter.
We don't give legal advice, and neither should your video vendor. Before any ad goes out:
- Check the current FEC advertising and disclaimer guidance for federal races.
- Check current Michigan requirements through the Secretary of State's campaign finance disclosure resources for state and local races.
- Have your campaign's attorney or compliance lead sign off on every final cut.
A good production company builds the disclaimer into the edit plan from day one, with space and time allowed for it, so it isn't squeezed in at the last minute.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Have you produced political ads before? Ask to see spots that aired, not just brand work. Campaign production has its own pace and approval chain.
- Can you deliver cable-spec, CTV, and social versions from one shoot? You want one footage bank that feeds every platform.
- How fast can you turn around a response ad? Get a realistic number and ask what it depends on (usually how fast your team reviews).
- Who is on set? Know who directs the candidate, who runs audio, and whether aerial or multi-camera coverage is included.
- How many revision rounds are included, and who approves? Name one decision-maker on the campaign side.
- Who owns the footage? Make sure the campaign has the rights it needs, including for future cycles.
- Can you help with placement? Some production companies, including Visual Lion, also handle media buying for social, cable, and radio, which keeps creative and placement in sync.
- Do you work with campaigns like ours? Visual Lion works with campaigns of any party.
What drives cost
Every campaign is different, so be wary of anyone quoting a flat price before understanding your race. The main cost drivers are the number of shoot days and locations, crew size, whether you need aerial footage, animation, or graphics, how many finished spots and cutdowns you need, language versions, and turnaround speed. The most cost-effective approach is almost always one well-planned shoot that produces a library of content.
Work with Visual Lion
Visual Lion is a Metro Detroit video production company serving campaigns across Michigan in English and Arabic. We produce bio videos, cable TV spots, CTV and social ads, rally coverage, and rapid-response content, and we can also handle your media buy.
If you're planning a race, see our political campaign video production services, browse our case studies, or call (313) 442-3633 / email moe@visuallion.us for a short planning call. We'll help you build a production calendar that fits your election date.