Inside MAX Service Group’s cinematic approach to advertising

MAX Service Group, a consortium of five HVAC companies owned by Wrench Group, recently won two awards from the American Advertising Federation — the nation’s oldest advertising trade association — for its ‘Comfortable for Life’ campaign, a series of three video ads. Past winners, for context, include ads for Meta, Jack Daniels, and Subaru. 

To get a behind-the-scenes look and jot some takeaways from the company’s video strategy, campaign logistics, filming process, and more, I caught up, via email, with Sam Mark, MAX’s creative director, who drives its video efforts. Below is our conversation, lightly edited for clarity. 

How do you view video as a part of MAX’s overall marketing/branding strategy, and where does it fit in?

With the average American seeing thousands of ads a day, cutting through the noise is one of the biggest challenges in modern marketing. From the moment someone wakes up — via music, TV, clothing brands, or pantry packaging — they’re being marketed to. So, how do we make sure our message rises to the top?

Our strategy is layered and intentional. We use a mix of direct mail, print, billboards, radio, streaming, email, PPC, SEO, sponsorships, and TV to engage customers. Video production accounts for about one percent of our total marketing spend, while video distribution — across YouTube, TV, social, and streaming — makes up about 11 percent.

Can you share some tactical details on the video strategy itself? 

We focus on building as many video touchpoints as possible — across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, streaming services, and TV.

Each year, we anchor our strategy with one large commercial campaign — high-end, polished spots that make up about 50 percent of our production budget. These are typically three 30-second commercials adapted into shorter versions for streaming and social media.

Alongside that, we create consistent, short-form content for Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts — much of it centered around our technicians. A few have even been trained as brand ambassadors to capture raw, behind-the-scenes footage on the job. It’s authentic, cost-effective, and helps build trust.

How do you allocate the remaining 50 percent of the budget?

We also invest in local sponsorships with professional sports teams, zoos, and charities, where we co-create branded video content that appeals to our shared audiences. That accounts for around 30 percent.

The final 20 percent goes toward educational and entertaining content: Tech tips, fun videos like technician challenges, or internal training, and it all works together to build our brand, connect with customers, and support our team.

Where did the idea for ‘Comfortable for Life’ come from?

In home services, most ads follow a tired formula — technician, voiceover, discount, happy family. They’re forgettable. I knew we could do better by focusing on what great ads across industries have in common: Storytelling.

That was the foundation. We didn’t want to compare ourselves to other HVAC companies — we looked at the best storytelling campaigns across all industries. And with my experience and production connections, we knew we could deliver that quality in-house at a fraction of the cost.

From concept to script, we focused on the “why” behind our brand: Trust. MAX provides comfort so families can focus on what matters: Joyful, silly, meaningful moments at home. We’re not just selling the “what” or the “how” — we’re selling the lifestyle and emotional value of comfort.

Can you help me understand the logistics of putting it together? 

We sourced most of our talent locally, through agencies and Facebook groups. Facebook groups are an underrated tool for low-budget casting; I’m in 50+ groups across Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, where you can post casting calls and get headshots and audition tapes.

For sets, we scout potential homes as filming locations. I toured several with my assistant director and cinematographer before locking in the ones that would work practically and aesthetically for all three commercials, which we shot over three consecutive days.

Minimizing locations and shoot days was key to staying on budget. One property served double duty — the interior for one ad, the pool exterior for another. Those logistical efficiencies made a big difference.

In your opinion, why is video a worthwhile medium to invest in, specifically within the home service industries?

We live in a digital age, and you need to reach people where they are. We watch TV and use social media and YouTube all the time. Investing in video lets you reach people where they are. 

Not every contractor can do video at the scale that MAX does, but given your production background, if you were chatting with someone who wanted to start investing more in it, what would you say?

Don’t be afraid to take content risks. If you do the same thing as everyone else, it’s boring and gets lost in the sea of videos out there. Whether people love or hate your content, if they’re talking about it, that means you’ve broken through and they’ll remember you.