Television advertising is an omnipresent part of our daily lives. Whether it’s during a television programme, a live sporting event, or even online on streaming platforms, adverts surround us constantly. At the heart of many of these ads is an essential element: the voice-over. This often anonymous voice in the background plays a crucial role in the way brands communicate with their audience.
The Importance of Voiceover
Voiceover is much more than just narration in a TV ad. It’s a powerful tool for establishing an emotional connection with the audience and conveying a brand’s message in a memorable way.
As with any project, the first step is for the client to find the voice that best represents their brand image. Unlike the creation of a sound identity, when the brand already exists it is a question of finding a voice that represents and embodies its identity. For example, a calm, soothing voice can create an atmosphere of serenity for a wellness product, while an energetic, dynamic voice can generate excitement for a product or event.
Advertisements are often built around a story or narrative. The voiceover is the narrative element that guides the viewer through the story. It can bring characters, situations and emotions to life, helping the audience to become immersed in the story of the ad.
My voice in TV advertising
I recently had the chance to work on a TV advert for France Télévision (France2, France3, France5+ Replay IPTV), broadcast on segmented TV in the Eure-et-Loir and Loir-et-Cher departments.
This advertisement for Crédit Agricole Val-de-France was produced by Flamingo Communications.
As with any project, the agency first shortlisted several voices to present to the client, Crédit Agricole Val-de-France. I then had to record a test with a bit of their script, allowing them to project themselves with their own text.
Then comes the moment of recording, and the ‘constraints’ imposed by TV advertising.
Yes, in TV or radio advertising, the customer buys a space, i.e. a broadcast time. This running time can be 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, whatever. But it is CRUCIAL not to exceed this purchased duration by even 0.0001 seconds. The advert produced for Crédit Agricole had to be no longer than 20 seconds. The text was of course worked on beforehand by the authors so that it could fit within this time limit.
Furthermore, in the case of TV or radio advertising, audio standards must be respected. What are these standards? Well, imagine if each client had their own audio settings. The sound wouldn’t be the same from one advert to the next, and that would totally skew the listening experience for the viewer. So I had to make sure that I complied with the standards required by France Télévision.
Want to hear the result? Here it is :
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