In the one-two punch of a political attack ad, knowing how to “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” takes a precise set of skills. This is where a professional political voice over is especially effective. Like the proverbial deadly weapon, the right tone of voice, attitude, or turn of phrase can sway voters against a political or ideological foe. Knowing the ins and outs of effective communication, a pro can champion the cage match arena of an attack ad and effectively take the legs out from under an opposing stance.
Candidates, special interests, PACs and other organizations have all embraced “going negative” and much in the way special interest voice over is approached, a consistent, strong voice over that the target audience can relate to regularly earns votes. Getting citizens to come together as a tribe, party or group of villagers requires a central message they can agree on – and identifying the “ogre” and calling for pitchforks and torches and hunting parties has worked for ages.
The Attack Ad Voice Over – It’s All in the Delivery
Appealing to the worsening parts of our nature, unfortunately, is very effective. Study after study shows that negative ads work. And he who goes big(ly) negative, can win the day. Anyone over a certain age remembers Lydon Johnson’s “Daisy” ad against Barry Goldwater featuring the combination of a little girl, and a countdown to a nuclear explosion and the all but stated “message” that a vote for Goldwater was a vote for the annihilation of our children (not to mention the rest of us). Disturbing, but memorable. And potent.
According to an article on the Berkeley Haas School of Business website, research published in the Journal of Marketing Research by Berkeley Haas Assoc. Prof. Clayton Critcher has found that negative ads can be more effective than positive ones, and attack ads have swelled in recent years, from 29 percent in 2000 to 64 percent in 2012, and up to 92 percent the week before the 2016 presidential election, according to the paper. So effective, that in the 2018 midterms overall, 6 out of ten GOP political ads were attack ads. Iit seems like attack ads are the new norm in politics – everybody’s doing it. Or pledging NOT to do it, just to stand out in a proverbial sea of negativity.
But not every attack ad is so overtly dire as Johnson’s 1964 ad. The voice over delivery for today’s combative ads can vary – running from light snark through moderate disappointment all the way to name calling and flat out maligning. It is the emotion behind the message that helps underscore it and an effective voice over declamation serves as counterpoint to the words and images.
For example, in a message highlighting issues an opponent has failed to deliver, or did deliver that have been harmful, the tone might be one of surprise accompanied by sadness from the voice over rather than anger. Or if anger is the goal, perhaps the voice over needs to build to a crescendo. Other attitudes such as sarcasm or disbelief or disgust might be deployed. Discerning the best read for the copy is a special skill. Like a virtuosic musician, a political voice over can determine the proper notes to hit for the message to resonate.
This voice over counterpoint has become a lot more sophisticated. With more and more calls of “fake news” and investigations over election interference, audiences are skeptical of attack ads, but they are still the most effective. To turn opinion, a compelling political ad voice over actor knows when to vocally push a line or the heart of an issue, and when to hold back and let the words do the work.
Treading the Political Boards – Voice Over is Acting
We (political ad voice over artists) are actors. We are hired to play a part. To help create an emotional connection or reaction against or for a candidate or ideology. To embody the world that a voter lives in. And if “all the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players”, knowing how to represent regular American people, with all their likes and dislikes, thoughts and fears, hopes and dreams for their children brings a level of flexibility and agile facility to any political advertising. Being able to adapt a performance to reverberate from Maine to Arizona, Washington to Florida and all parts therein, makes the political vo pro the “big gun” of choice in a campaign’s arsenal. One that they can use over and over again in their emotional or intellectual appeals to sway supporters.
A successful political ad voice over takes the ability to quickly analyze a script, take direction and drive the message home, whether the vehicle is as heavy as a monster truck or as light as a pair of roller skates. A good voice over actor will take the ad where it needs to go.