A CGI product video is a product film made entirely in 3D software instead of shot on camera. The product is rebuilt as a photoreal 3D model, then lit, animated and rendered. That lets brands show angles, materials and effects a camera cannot capture, reuse one model across every format, and launch visuals before the product is even manufactured.
This guide covers what a CGI product video is, how it is made, when it beats photography or a live shoot, and what to expect on cost and timing. It draws on projects we have delivered at MAD CGI in London for brands including Revolution Beauty, Boots, Ulta Beauty and Carrera y Carrera.
What is a CGI product video?
A CGI (computer-generated imagery) product video is a short film in which the product, and often everything around it, is created digitally. Nothing is placed in front of a lens. A 3D artist builds the product from CAD files, packaging artwork or reference photos, assigns real-world materials such as glass, brushed metal or fabric, and renders it frame by frame.
The result can be indistinguishable from footage, but with total control. Light behaves exactly as directed, liquids pour on cue, and a label stays sharp at macro distance. Our Bouncy Blush film for Revolution Beauty shows the texture and pigment of a powder blush up close in a way a studio shoot would struggle to match. It passed 1 million views across platforms.
CGI product videos usually run from 6 to 30 seconds and are made for social feeds, e-commerce product pages, paid ads, launch teasers and in-store screens.
How a CGI product video is made
Most product films follow the same six steps. For a fuller breakdown of each stage, see how to build a CGI video from brief to final render.
- Brief. Goal, platforms, formats, key product benefits and references.
- Modelling. The product is rebuilt in 3D from CAD, dielines or photos, accurate to the millimetre.
- Look development. Materials, textures and lighting are matched to the real product and the brand's visual language.
- Styleframes and animatic. Key frames and a rough cut are approved before full animation, so changes stay cheap.
- Animation and simulation. Camera moves, product motion, liquids, particles or fabric are animated.
- Rendering and delivery. Final frames are rendered, graded and exported in every ratio the campaign needs: 9:16, 1:1, 4:5 and 16:9.
A typical product video takes 2 to 3 weeks from approved brief to final files. Our Revolution Beauty FOOH film in London went from concept to delivery in two weeks. If you are preparing to commission one, our step-by-step guide to ordering a CGI video lists what to send the studio.
How brands use CGI instead of photography
CGI replaces or extends a photo shoot when the product is hard to photograph, not yet manufactured, or needed in many variations. Here is how the two compare on the points brands ask about most.
- Reflective and transparent products. Glass, chrome and gemstones pick up every reflection on set. In CGI, reflections are designed. This is why jewellery houses such as Carrera y Carrera use 3D for gold, diamonds and enamel.
- Products that do not exist yet. A shoot needs a finished sample. CGI needs a CAD file, so marketing can start before production. The Lymusi fitness tracker launch film ran on its crowdfunding page, where no finished sample was needed.
- Colourways and variants. A shoot repeats for every variant. One 3D model renders every colour, size and pack at almost no extra cost.
- Reuse. Photos are fixed once taken. A 3D model keeps producing new assets. For Boots, the CGI system kept generating visuals for e-commerce, digital ads and in-store screens, and the campaign reached 700K+ views.
- Effects. Slow-motion liquid, exploding ingredients or impossible scale are native to CGI and costly or impossible on set.
Live action still wins when the story depends on people, performance or real places. Many brands now combine both. We compare the options in detail in CGI vs live action: which is right for your brand campaign.
Types of CGI product video
Each format is built for a different job and placement.
- Product loops (6 to 15 seconds). Seamless spins and detail shots for product pages and paid social. See 3D product animation for e-commerce.
- Hero films (15 to 30 seconds). Cinematic launch pieces with a narrative and sound design, like our Revolution Makeup motion campaign, which passed 1 million views.
- FOOH (fake out-of-home). The product appears at impossible scale in a real street, filmed for social. Read what FOOH advertising is and why brands use it.
- 3D DOOH and anamorphic billboards. CGI rendered for a real curved screen so the product seems to break out of the frame. Our OKKO 3D billboard campaign reached 10M+ views as passers-by filmed and shared it. More in 3D billboard advertising.
- AI-assisted product video. AI generates environments and mood while the product itself stays a precise 3D model. We explain where each fits in CGI or AI video: which should your brand use.
CGI product video examples by industry
- Beauty and cosmetics. Texture, swatches and pigment at macro scale. Examples: Ulta Beauty (650K+ views across a large product range) and Revolution Beauty Bouncy Blush. More in CGI beauty advertising.
- Jewellery and watches. Controlled sparkle and metal finishes. See CGI for jewellery and luxury watches.
- Tech and devices. Internal components, sensors and materials shown with engineering accuracy, as in our Dyson product film concept.
- Supplements and wellness. Ingredients visualised at a scale the eye cannot see, as in the PerlaHelsa product animation.
- Fashion. Fabric, movement and campaign worlds. Tom Tailor's collection launch reached 1M+ views; their team said MAD "brought tons of creative ideas and executed a visually stunning campaign" (read the case).
For more reference films, browse our 3D product animation examples or the full project archive.
How much does a CGI product video cost?
Cost depends on four things: whether a usable 3D model already exists, how complex the materials are (glass and liquids take longer than matte plastic), the number of shots and seconds, and how many formats you need. A single 10 second loop of one product costs far less than a 30 second launch film with simulation and several variants.
Because the model is reusable, the second and third videos for the same product cost noticeably less than the first. For price ranges and what drives them, read how much CGI advertising costs.
How to choose a studio for your CGI product video
Look for photoreal work in your own category, especially with the materials your product uses. Ask for a clear timeline, the number of revision rounds included, and who owns the 3D model after the project. Our checklist hiring a CGI agency: the 10 checks that actually matter walks through each point.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between CGI and 3D animation?
3D animation is the technique of moving objects in a 3D scene. CGI is the broader term for any computer-generated image or film. A CGI product video almost always uses 3D animation, so in practice brands use the terms interchangeably.
Do I need to send a physical product?
Not always. CAD files or packaging dielines are enough to build an accurate model. A physical sample helps the studio match real materials and colours, so send one if it exists.
Can CGI look fully realistic?
Yes. With physically based materials and lighting, a well-made CGI product video is indistinguishable from footage.
How long does a CGI product video take?
Most projects take 2 to 3 weeks from approved brief to final files. Simple loops can be faster; films with liquid or fabric simulation take longer.
What files do I get at the end?
Final videos in every ratio you need, usually 9:16, 1:1, 4:5 and 16:9, plus stills on request. Ask the studio whether the 3D model is included so you can reuse it.
Plan your CGI product video
MAD CGI is a London-based studio making AI video and CGI for fashion, beauty and luxury brands. See what we make on our CGI video production and 3D product animation pages, or send us your brief and get a quote within one business day.
