One of the most impactful layers added to an advert is the voiceover for the advert. It adds depth, context, personality and relatability to the campaign, potentially leading it to a high level of success, or of course downfall if the wrong voice is chosen.
Amongst the tone, style and personality of the voice you choose for your advert, one of the seemingly more simple choices is as to whether or not you choose a male or female voice actor. Of course, this choice is all but simple. Choosing a male or a female voice can be the making, or the breaking of your advert so it deserves a lot of consideration.
Male Voices In Advertising
Many men have a voice that is deep, strong and impactful. Many assumptions may come when you hear a man speaking such as:
- Authority
- Strength
- Trust (in relation to products for men)
- More forceful
Studies do show that overall, a female voice is often preferred in advertising. This has to be a primary consideration when it comes to making your choice about the voiceover actor you choose. This is especially true with female sanitary products or other female products where a female voiceover is needed to establish that level of trust and relatability. With products specifically for men, the same may go the other way and viewers may trust a male voice in relation to products directly related to the male market.
To some degree though, it may be that the opposite sex works as a voiceover if you follow the ‘sex sells’ rules, although there is evidence in both directions to suggest sex may not always sell. For that reason, it is important never to assume a certain voice will result in a product being more attractive, at least from the point of view that sexiness will somehow improve the chance of the product being well received.
Getting Some Expert Advice
It can be so overwhelming considering whether or not to use a male or female voice in your advertising campaign. Often, it really does help to get some expert advice from a company that knows exactly what the impact of a good voiceover can do for an advert.
Professional voiceover agencies are an excellent source of information, enabling you to hear the huge range of tones available in both male and female voices. Voiceover actors who are trained, also add an extra level of personality and depth to a voiceover because they know how to bring words to life.
By using a professional voiceover agency, you will have access to a wide range of male and female voices to consider for your campaign. This will ultimately lead to you getting the very best voiceover for your advert, and hopefully lead to it being received exceptionally well by your audience.
Article written by Jo
(Photo by laughingsquid via Flickr)