Looking for a way to crush your political ad? Find and discover your authentic brand voice over. Take a brand like Ralph Lauren. You get an instant picture of an elite American lifestyle. Think Old Navy. You come away with family-friendly, affordable, accessible. You know what the voice over is going to sound like on ads for those brands. Sophisticated, inspiring for the first. Warm and girl-next-door for the second. Much in the way successful products pay attention to every element of their branding, successful political candidates are aware of all elements in their political ad branding. Including their choice of voice over.
Candidates in today’s political arena have to not only take a stance that is compelling, either with detailed policies or memorable and persuasive slogans, but also consider other aspects such as logos, campaign colors, candidate appearance, attire, and the style of both their delivery and the delivery of the voice over presenting or representing them in ads. Examples of branding how a candidate sounds? Do they shout, are they always calm, do they get emotional, are they “down to earth”, etc. The voice over can reflect, counterpoint or compliment the candidate’s sound style to create a brand soundscape that will inspire voters to spend their one and only currency, their vote.
Creating a Superior Soundscape with Voice Over: Power of Sound Bites
Some campaigns in recent history have caught onto the power of sound bites early and have reaped the benefits of it. Starting with a compelling slogan, like the memorable and repeatable “Yes We Can!”, “Stronger Together”, “Make America Great Again”, “I Have a Plan For That!”, “A Fresh Start for America”, “We Persist”, “Not Me. Us.”, “Our Best Days Still Lie Ahead” Whether stated by the candidate or reinforced by the political ad voice over artist these slogans as sound bites can encompass a wide variety of policy proposals and political stances that the candidate hopes sets them apart in the field. They are essential to creating a superior branded soundscape. Something candidates can tweet, put on website banners and bumper stickers, repeat at rallies, sell on hats. But these days, it isn’t enough to stop there.
Today’s political brands have to be much more than just a string of words on a yard sign. Candidates are the brand and have to embody this, head to toe and take advantage of every communication opportunity, even when they’re not the one speaking. It pays to put thought into the selection of the voice over artist who reinforces the candidate brand aurally.
Political Candidates Brands: Look Successful, Sound Successful
Along with consideration into how to sound successful, political candidates must consider how to look successful, no matter their brand. Candidates and their managers also have to consider their “visuals” – everything from the colors they use in all their campaign materials (will it be red/white/blue, blue/yellow, blue/white, rainbow-colored, etc) to the clothes they wear every day. A great article in the New York Times by Vanessa Friedman breaks down how some of the 2020 Democratic candidates for President are “embodying” their brand.
Friedman quotes Hillary Rosen, a Democratic strategist and media consultant with SKDKnickerbocker who points out that Donald Trump understood implicitly the need to stand out and “He got the last laugh with his hair. And his long tie. He crafted a look, and it helped him stand out.”
And, of course, that success isn’t lost on the new batch of 2020 candidates – Pete Buttigieg manages to embody the guy next door (if the guy next door is a Boy Scout who wears a blue tie, white shirt and pressed Navy dress slacks every. single. day.), Elizabeth Warren’s planned out black slacks, black shell, gem color sweater or blazer accompanies her “I Have a Plan For That” policy heavy campaign, Bernie Sanders gives Donald Trump a run for his money in the hair department (while effectively mastering the I’m-too-busy-focused-on-what’s-important-to-worry-about-my-hair image), Joe Biden’s aviator shades and flag label pin, subtly harkening back to a “better time” (of Top Gun or Obama’s Presidency).
And the list goes on – today, how a candidate leverages what voters see to get them to focus on what the candidate says is important and a central (and extremely well-invested in) part of the campaign.
Political Ad Voice Over Branding Across Social Media
Where a campaign can be seen and heard is crucial to their ability to garner support. Exposure of their brand, in both political ad voice over and visuals occurs across social media and over multiple platforms. In today’s media environment, candidates have to have a brand presence everywhere – on phones, on TVs, radios, websites, social media feeds, etc. They need to explain policy positions, appeal to varied demographics and across the political spectrum, introduce themselves to new voters, encourage participation in the process and inspire their fellow citizens to donate large and small amounts of money and time to their cause.
These days, that communication takes all forms, from commercials to promos to website videos, Instagram stories, Facebook ads, Tweets, radio spots and more. And as important to the brand as clothing or colors is the voice delivering the candidate’s message.
The first element of effective spoken communication is the speaker. And often, political campaigning involves the candidate speaking themselves, but other voices are regularly employed – testimonies and other messages that serve to support that candidate and bolster their cause can also be a great contributor to how the candidate’s message is received. A consistent messenger, deployed across political ad mediums in the form of a professional voiceover is also a highly effective tool. And finding that voice is a big part of a campaign’s strategy.
A Trustworthy, Persuasive Political Ad Voice Over
A professional voiceover actor’s job is to communicate. To express any brand’s values and way of thinking. It is their primary focus on any project and is essential to effective campaigns.
Political ad voice over pros understand the twin tools of sounding trustworthy and the ability to persuade, the importance of tone and why it is imperative to get it right.
Additionally, a great voice over involves finesse and nuance. A particular campaign’s assorted messages may need to be authoritative and professional to appeal to business people, light-hearted and quirky to appeal to a younger crowd, comforting and leading in times of hardship or national tragedies. Employing a uniformity while still embodying each character is solidly in a pro VO’s wheelhouse and crucial to success.
For example, if a message needs passion, a quiet resolve or forceful determination and voice and tone aren’t considered, the candidate’s position might be lost on voters, or worse, cause them to lose trust or not believe the candidate. Tone of voice and facility of delivery demonstrate warmth, compassion, sense of humor or expertise while not drawing attention to itself. Setting the candidate apart in the field and leaving the voter to focus on the message.
A campaign that has invested heavily in its brand, is embodied by the candidate, and made available across all media platforms cannot afford to overlook the influence an authentic, credible, trustworthy speaker can have to bring voters to their cause. Having an experienced, competent, skillful voiceover actor as a brand ambassador can be the difference between being heard but forgotten or standing out memorably in the crowd.