Shining the political campaign spotlight on comparison ads, your voice over actor plays a key role in the formula of how to win. Comparison ads and the talking points they breed get a lot of traction over the course of a political campaign. Although some believe that pointing out ideological differences between parties has devolved to name-calling and character assassination a la blood feuds of the Hatfield/McCoy or Capulet/Montague variety, comparison is actually a foundational scientific method for decision making. There is no denying it’s exceptionally hot in the toolbox and hiring the right voice over artist to deliver your political advertising message is a powerful way to win over voters.
Sorting our In-Groups – Stories that Resonate
We humans have been sorting ourselves into groups since the beginnings of our existence. In 1979, social psychologist Henri Tajfel, well known for studying aspects of prejudice and identity crafted the social identity theory that proposed that the groups in which people belonged (e.g. family, social class, sports team, church, etc) were an important source of pride and self-esteem. He said we first figure out what the groups are, then we figure out which group(s) we belong to and proceed to adopt the traits of those groups. Emotional significance and self-esteem come into play here. In-group identity is a vital part of who people are – not just an accessory to their lives. The final step is that we then engage in social comparison – telling ourselves and others stories that resonate as to why our group is best and how others fall short
The Voice Over Actor as a Political Ad Storyteller
A great professional voice over actor with an adroit understanding of social identities and groups excels at telling these stories. Digging into who is delivering the message – as an actor – and finding the truth and point of view of that group’s message brings authenticity to the political ad. It involves being able to unpack the essential points the writer has sewn into the copy of the ad. Then, your voice over actor uses pitch and tone to make the opponent or opposing view in the ad appear less than, incompetent or downright bad. A critical shift in delivery to the positive, builds up and displays the group’s proponent, idea or candidate in the best possible light.
But the political ad performance goes beyond acting 101. To ring true to constituents, it takes more than a simple “this one is bad”, to “this other one is good”. Consumers are sophisticated media connoisseurs. The tone has to match the content of the ad and take the measure of the audience and ingroup into account. Some messages lean into the dark and sinister when referencing the opponent’s past or commenting on the substance of the opposing side of the issue. In contrast, sometimes the ad is more memorable when the voice over artist lets the words do the work and delivers a lighter touch, leaving the listener to get there on their own. Directors of political ads might use descriptions to guide the voice actor performance such as “concerned”, “worried”, or even occasionally “disgusted”. The goal is to convince the audience that the opposition is not to be trusted, believed, or, ultimately, voted for.
Your Political Ad Voice Over Actor As Champion
“But wait, all is not lost…” The political ad voice over for the advocate or “good guy candidate side” of the comparison ad needs to be very solution-oriented. Their platform holds the answer. The vocal expression on this side of the spot ranges from thoughtfully positive to chest-out prideful, to confident we-got-this and beyond. The voice over champions the position and calm the listeners fears or quells their doubts. The actor’s job is to reinforce human identity here through a rich range of emotional context, not just slam the other side. The audience needs to see a positive future for themselves in the position taken in the ad.
This ability to transition from highlighting the negative to accentuating the positive in a comparison ad needs an experienced voice actor versed in subtlety. Often these ads need to sound as though a trusted friend or family member is explaining why “their side is wrong” and “our side is right”. Moving from the problem to the solution convincingly takes a capable hand.
Voice Over in Comparison Ads Helps Voters Make Fast-Paced Decisions
We as humans tend to make decisions quickly. This is partly why comparison political ads are so effective. Because they reinforce stories we’ve already chosen to identify with, this us vs. them perspective allows voters to align quickly. The world of politics is ever-changing and in today’s media world, messages need to get out into the world swiftly. A voice over pro is going to be able to sort out the message, decide on the POV and truth of the messenger, tap into the identity of the solution offered, tell that story with the proper tone, color and attitude and do it all in quick succession because turn-around times are lightning-fast and a pro’s responsiveness and skill are the keys to success. Unlike the other guys.