The phrase ‘commercial’ is a fascinating one, and it means different things for different industries. Within the voiceover industry, it represents brands, talent, products, services, and many other things. The question is, what does voiceover in commercials look like for the voice actor today? Voiceover is a fantastic sector of entertainment, flooded with so many influential genres. To name a few, these include; video games, narration, telephone on hold, animation, and many others. This article will look at voiceover in commercials and the importance of understanding its history for the voice performer.
The History of Ads
Television is a captivating medium where the audience can retain much of the content. Be this in the form of a fun jingle which is heard time after time, or an iconic brand logo like the metallic Jaguar figure presented on the bonnet of a beautiful car. Voiceover has an amazing history in television, ranging from advertisements to cartoons. What voiceover once presented in commercials is the iconic, loud, and exaggerated character stereotype. Today it is much more subtle in its approach.
Voiceover in Commercials Today
Industry professionals refer to the common trend in commercial reads as ‘the conversational read’. Another name for this style of delivery is the ‘natural read’. This approach requires a naturalistic and genuine approach. Imagine a conversation between two friends; it flows normally without hidden agendas. The message becomes more about establishing trust and relating to one another than selling a product or service. The ultimate purpose remains the same, to sell. However, the approach to selling is different with this style.
Ad Styles and What Has Changed
Thinking of top brands and companies we live with, we see constant rivalries for consumers’ attention when they are already overloaded with options. For every Mcdonald’s, there is a Burger King. Coke has Pepsi, and Cadburys has Nestle. The list of competing organizations offering the same product or service is almost endless. This means the undecided customer’s money is forever split between multiple places. The new style of delivering commercials is all about trust. The idea behind this is that if the consumer can relate to the commercial, trust can be established. They will be more invested in the product or service and willing to spend their money. This approach comes with great success too.
Talent for Voiceover in Commercials
The old voiceover style still exists and comes up occasionally within the industry. The style is comedic and unique in its own right and will always be iconic. Comedy will always have a place in entertainment regardless of if that is on the stage, in commercials, or audiobooks, etc. The biggest challenge for the voice actors in this field is capturing the genuine read. Most voiceover artists are trained to deliver a show, a genuine character, and something believable that differs from who they are. In this instance, we ask the performers to deliver a genuine truthful performance via a natural conversational style. Any performer struggling with this should acquire training from an industry professional coach specialing in commercials. New skills, trends, and styles come and go, which is why constant training is vital in the voiceover industry.
Voiceover in Commercials by Alan Shires – Actor, Voiceover Artist, and Presenter at www.alanshires.co.uk
