When creating your marketing audio ads and voiceovers with the right voice actors, one of the first things to do is decide between female or male voice actors. While at first thought it may not matter which to use, ultimately, the voice you choose will have a big impact on the success of your ad.
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This post was updated in May 2021
Why Choose Male Voice Actors?
Most people listening to your ads may not consciously pay attention to the voice they are hearing, but the specific voice actually does make a strong impression. It can also make a big difference. Male voice actors will convey a different perception than female voice actors. Sometimes, this feeling can make all the difference in the success of your ad. According to business.com, male voice actors convey a neutral, authoritative and factual impression, while female voices offer a more emotional, compassionate voice. If you are looking for that commanding, forceful voice full of facts and logic, a male voice would be your best bet. A male voice can also lead to trust and reliance because of the factual, nonbiased impression it gives to the audience.
More than Just a Male Voice
Once you’ve decided on using male voice actors, you’ve now got to decide what type of voice. Depending on your product, service, and audience, even within the male voice actors, other characteristics are important. Do you want a younger, friendlier voice to resonate with a more youthful, millennial crowd? Maybe your ad calls for an older, wiser voice to convey trust and experience?
Even once you have decided on the age bracket, there is still more. Male voice actors who have a deeper voice convey more of that authoritative tone. Those with higher pitches and tones will gain more of a feeling of friendship and trust. The friendlier the voice, the more of an ally it becomes. According to buisness2community:
Men’s voices are associated with neutrality, with authoritative, factual information,” explains Arthur Chu, a Cleveland-based artist who’s done voice-over work for brands like Safeway and Intel.
The voiceover you want for some kind of authoritative instructional video, or some asserting dry historical fact, is going to be that baritone, somewhat monotone, slightly stern voice.
The voice of your audio ad is as important as the ad itself. Think about how different some of the most effective ads would be if there was a different voice in them. In the case of something like security systems, deep male voices can be more effective. They have that ingrained tone of security already. However, a male voice probably won’t be very successful at selling lipstick or perfume. Be careful, though, and watch out for outdated stereotypes, especially with the shift towards gender neutrality and sexual stereotyping.
With today’s surge towards audio ads, it is the prime time to focus on audio and getting that perfect voice. Though many listeners may not realize the voice they are listening to has so much influence, it actually does. The right voice can solicit valuable trust from your customers. It can become memorable and lead to a deep connection between customer and product.
This Famous Voice
Think about this one famous voice in a sea of male voice actors. Almost everyone is familiar with the Allstate voice. That’s the voice of Dennis Haysbert and his deep soothing tones make the listener feel safe and secure. Dennis Haysbert‘s deep, engaging voice is laced with integrity, competence, and reassurance. Everyone wants to listen and believe in what he has to say. The audience feels safe and taken care of, and that is the goal of insurance. (awesome conclusion)
The key takeaways here are thinking about what you are selling or promoting and the image you want to convey with your ad. Trust, competence, friendliness, connectivity, authoritativeness? Match your male voice actors to these characteristics and watch the magic happen.
Know Your Audience
One of the key components in finding the right voice is knowing your audience. Of course, this is crucial in every part of advertising, but especially here. Remember, you want your audience to connect with your ad, and the difference in female or male voice actors can do this. Maybe your particular ad is calling for the use of male voice actors. With the right audio and the right voice, this connection will come easier. Once your audience connects, you’re on the road to building that community of trust. This will ultimately lead to sales and success. So think about your audience, and then find that perfect voice match.
A good rule of thumb, but of course there are exceptions to everything, is that your audience’s majority gender can dictate the voice you want to use in your ad. For instance, if you are selling make-up or female hygiene products, you probably want to stay with a female voice. If you are selling men’s shaving cream, male voice actors will probably be more effective. Of course, if the product is neutral, this may be more difficult to determine, but perhaps one of the best gauges of what type of voice to use is your audience. After all, that is who you are trying to reach and connect with.
Remember, though, these traditional roles are shifting. You may hear female voices promoting cars, science concepts, and the military which were all traditionally male-dominated fields. Male voice actors can now venture into some of the traditionally female roles, too, such as ads for laundry detergent or diapers. It just makes it all the more important to have the right voice.
The Right Voice Will Set the Tone
In conclusion, the right voice will set the right tone for your ad, getting you on the road to customers, sales, and success. Trust is a big factor, and the more trustworthy your voice actors are, the more loyal your customers may become. Think about your audience, your product, and the emotions or tone you want to convey. You’ve probably spent a lot of time writing the perfect copy for your piece, now you need the right voice to complete the process. Male voice actors with the perfect pitch, timber, and tone can be just the right fit.
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