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Roy H. Williams on Client-voiced Radio Commercials

I always feature the voices of my clients in the radio and TV ads I write for them, especially if their voice doesn't belong on the air. Voices that "belong" are easily ignored. Don't you agree that rich, smooth, professional voices tend to all sound the same?
 
Voices that shouldn't be on the air cut through the clutter like a knife through butter.

Have you been told you should leave the voicework to "the professionals?"
 
There are two possible reasons they may have said this to you:
 

1. They don't understand what they're up against. They misapprehend the challenge. They incorrectly assertain the obstacle. 
Okay, I'll just say it: They don't really know what they're doing.

2. They know exactly what they're doing and they want to control your advertising. They want to make themselves indispensable by controlling important elements in your style guide. 

Don't build your future on a distinctive identifier that you do not fully control. Use your own voice. (Especially if it really, really doesn't belong on the air.) 

The more you don't belong, the better you stand out.

Roy H. Williams

 

SOURCE: http://www.mondaymorningmemo.com/page/tworeason

Tags: Client-voiced, Commercial, Radio

Views: 190

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Neil Holmes on September 5, 2011 at 12:53pm

Mr. Williams argument is based on stations where the majority of the spots are voiced by paid professional voice actors.  Alas, for many stations, the AE's, the office staff, the part-timers all voice commercials.  That means there is less opportunity for a client voice to separate.  But overlook that for a moment.

 

What about the listener? And then the station?  In the short run the station makes the sale, but if the voice on the spot (or the production value) is so distinctive and grating then listeners will change stations; and over time (assuming the ads keep airing) TSL drops, rates drop, the station revenue drops.  Then all the station advertisers will care because they are not reaching as many people as they had expected because a grating spot drove people away from the station.

 

Remember the screaming car dealer ads of the 90s that started with the low voice disclaimer?  Listeners would lunge for the radio to change stations before the screaming and hyper music started.  The annoying nature of the ads trained listeners to do that.  Some listeners eventually came back; but with the increased competition online today, many station can't afford to wait for listeners to return.

 

I am speaking from experience about the screaming car ads.  My GM decided not to run those ads, and the dealer group cancelled all ads (screaming and non) for all the locations.  It was a major revenue hit for the stations.  And a major revenue hit for the dealer.  So within three months the dealer bought the stations again, without the screaming and yelling, and his numbers were better than the screaming spots ever produced.  And that was partly due to our increase in listeners when word spread that our advertisers do not yell.

 

Should each client separate from the others?  Yes.  Will a client voiced spot do that? Sometimes.  Are there easy answers? Seldom.  But every client can have a radio success story!

 

Neil Holmes

Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Hedquist on September 9, 2011 at 12:39pm

Good comments Neil. What Roy doesn't mention is that for "the voice doesn't belong on the air" to work, the copy must be good. In most cases that means NOT having the client read a script - no matter who has written it. The ad must be created with the personality and voice quality of the client in mind. Sometimes this means having a client who's not afraid of self-effacing humor.

A technique that will yield better than average listenability is to just record them speaking about what they know, who they are, how they can benefit the customer, then edit it it down.

Rod is quite good at this. His Keaney Bros. Music "Drum" spot comes to mind as a good example.

Neil, your last paragraph says it well.

Permalink Reply by Rod Schwartz on September 9, 2011 at 1:05pm

Jeffrey,

Thanks for your kind words, and the natural segue they provide for sharing the spot. :>)

Based on much of what I hear running on the air in our market and elsewhere (unfortunately), it's hard to take exception to your assertion that clients should NOT read scripts in most cases.  Still, I've had good success in getting clients to read scripts so they sound natural and credible, but it takes time and effort -- sometimes an inordinate amount of both -- coaxing and coaching, until the desired result is obtained.

And you're absolutely right-on about the importance of writing copy that sounds like real conversation, not adspeak.  (The Keeney Bros. ads, for instance, are all scripted and read, not pieced together from interviews, as for example the Pullman Regional Hospital spot below.)

I'd guesstimate that 80% or more of my clients regularly voice their own radio ads.  Some have been doing it for many years now.  Lately I've had the pleasure of working with a Realtor on an individual branding effort that has catapulted him from "new guy" in a market of 65 other real estate agents to being one of the top two or three names in town, much to the chagrin of his colleagues/competitors.  This type of campaign is so much easier to put together when the client is actively involved.

What I've heard of Roy Williams' commercials that feature his clients suggests that he works at getting them to sound good before sending the spot into the ether.  But even advertisers whose pipes aren't, say, "radio-friendly" can command attention in a good way.  Have you heard "Mr. Elliot's" spots for 24/7 Vaults in Las Vegas?  The guy's a hoot!  (http://audioboo.fm/boos/304797-mr-elliot-24-7-private-vaults-radio)

_______

Neil - spot on!

 "...every client can have a radio success story!"

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Permalink Reply by Big John Small on September 9, 2011 at 7:49pm

I can agree with all of these opinions.

 

Roy is correct... a voice that STANDS OUT will get more attention

Neil is correct... a voice that ANNOYS will turn people away

Jeffrey is correct... a voice that is MEMORABLE will stick with you (with a good message)

Rod is correct... a voice that is GENUINE sounds real and can't be beat.

 

The main problem I hear in client ads would be them READING someone else's words. There are several clients in our area that do their own ads... there are many more that SHOULD! We encourage them to at least be a part of the ad. They will always say "I hate the sound of my voice!!" Unless they are hard to understand... or have some kind of annoying speech problem... I would have them on the air.

 

About 17 years ago I had my first "client ad" break through. I was asked to go record "Albert" for a radio ad. He was a FANTASTIC salesman... (he tried to sell me some boots while we were getting the tape recorder set up) but a TERRIBLE reader. He would read one... word... at... a... time...  and sadly people would make fun of his ads (others would switch the dial) and he was spending a ton of money to be on the radio.

 

When he was done "reading" the ad.. I kept the tape recorder rolling... Then I asked about the boots... he spoke smoothly and easily "sold me" on the boots.... then I asked about the hats... he gave me the best sales pitch I'd ever heard for a Stetson hat... I asked about his Wrangler jeans and when he was done I was ready to pull a pair on!


I went back to the studio and made TWO ads... the one he READ... and the one he SAID from the heart! I let Albert hear them both... I played his first... then let him know "I guess the recorder was still going... I want you to hear this one too" You should have seen his eyes widen... and his face light up like a Christmas tree on Dec 24th!

He said... "Can we just run number 2?... that soulds SO MUCH BETTER!"

 

Albert KNEW that he was not a good reader... but some well meaning salesman told him his voice should be on the radio so he reluctantly did it.

 

This simple change made all the difference in the world. I think Roy, Neil, Jeffrey and Rod will agree!

 

Having the client's voice on the air is GREAT as long as it does not ANNOY! A well done client ad will STAND OUT, sound GENUINE and be MEMORABLE! (Oh yeah.... and it will work really well too)

 

John Small
owner-manager-mornings-janitor 

Sunny Radio
www.MySunnyRadio.com

 

Permalink Reply by Simon Paul Rushton on January 26, 2012 at 5:13am

I like using clients who have character.

Often they don't.

I like to use clients who have a great sounding voice and can deliver a script well.

Often they can't.

I like to use a client who can read a script and make it sound natural and unscripted.

And when they can't I like to use professional voices who can and can sell and put the magic into a script.

I agree with Dan Oday, using clients to their abilities...

http://rushtononradio.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/you-want-to-be-the-v...

I think most of the time I want a voice to reflect the quality of their business... which is why most clients don't design their own logos. The ones that CAN... let them.

On the other side, they think they may save money. Not in my studio. It can take 10 times longer to record a client voiced radio ad. What they save in voice fees they will spend on precious studio time.

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