Video Production – :30 Spots The :30 spot is the cornerstone of television advertising. With the advent of cable TV, local businesses have been able to advertise along side national accounts. Depending on the time of day, you can purchase time on a local provider’s system for a few bucks per viewing. Rates normally drop significantly after midnight and are less for the lower rated networks. There is a definite art to creating a commercial that effectively presents your product or service in half a minute. Most cable advertisers use the call to action method. Others try and use the same style as the Madison Avenue accounts. This can be difficult on a small budget, but that is not to say that you can’t have a classy, professional spot that stands out from Elvis selling used cars at the local Chevy dealer.