Do you believe a voice talent ought to use a "slogan" in marketing? Why or why not?

Personally, I have a big thing against a voice talent (or actor or anything else for that matter...) who says "I'm the best." That's what that person is conveying when the slogan they use is something like "Today's Sound" or "The Professional Voice" or "The Best Voice In Canada." Go on...disagree...but I don't like slogans. Branding is great. Do it with a logo or color scheme or matching cards and postcards or a totally professional looking CD label and spine etc and matching brochure, but I don't like slogans. There are lots of folks who are professional. There are many who are most versatile and please producers who want that "today sound" (whatever that might be....who knows?) so if you are using a slogan, make it ring, make it good, but don't ever say "the best" or "your voice" or something that implies everyone else is ca ca doo doo and you are not. It's just not good. By the way, several top agents agree with me on this and actually, one made me redo my marketing materials because she wouldn't send them out with my slogan on them. Said it was cheap. Let's hear it...what's your take? "The burgers are better at Burger King" is ok...but not "The Best Burgers in the World." Get it?

Tags: advertising, bragging, branding, is, no, slogans, voice

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Permalink Reply by Philip Banks on May 3, 2009 at 11:01am: I used to package my demos suspended beneath a ballon which had "Any Circumstances" printed on it. Every top agent on receipt of my demo package refused to send my CDs out under Any Circumstances.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bettye Zoller on May 3, 2009 at 11:20pm: For those of you in the U.S. who do not know Phillip, he is a moving force, one of the premiere voice talents in UK and Europe overall. Phillip, since having traveled to Europe to work four times in 2007-09 I must say that I have been awakened to the global dimensions of voice work. Also, one of my sons lives in Switzerland and is an international citizen with his wife working all over Europe. Americans tend to be very insular. I have been changed by my travels and experiences. I have not yet traveled to the U.K. but certainly want to do so. Thank you for your comment here. Your "any circumstances" is very very funny.I would like to do a slogan that says "don't like me. I dare you." How about that for guts? or ""If you hire me you are Crazy."

Hey...let's do it.

Keep in touch old friend. And hope to see you in the flesh sometime.
Your colleague and friend
Bettye Zoller; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Philip Banks on May 4, 2009 at 6:21am: And my best to you as always, Bettye.

The insular attitude of certain people was really brought home to me when someone in the US said to me both in anger and without a hint of irony. "Well it's ok for you I don't have your local market!"

For those of you who don't get that, www.portgordon.org.uk is the website for the village where I and from where I work.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bettye Zoller on May 4, 2009 at 1:02pm: Thanks Phillip for reply here. Yes, now in today's world, the world is our village with the internet booking sites and the internet ability to service clients worldwide with our voiceovers. We don't have to just depend on internet booking either because we can promote ourselves worldwide to clients ourselves and develop repeat business with those we meet and do voiceovers for on the web. A friend recently moved to a ranch here in the U.S. and said his only complaint is that his neighbor has cows and "wow they surely are loud. The crows too!" It's always something...After thirty two years in the voice biz, I saw sixteen track and thirty-two track and sixty-four track recording initiated, spliced with a razor blade, worked on reel to reel and now...it's constantly a new world.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by John Taylor on May 6, 2009 at 11:14am: I like David Alden's "the Voice that Paints Pictures". I have toyed with John Taylor "The Voice that Hangs Drywall". John Taylor "Known from Coast to Coast Like Buttered Toast" John Taylor "Vocal Swiss Army Knife" (this could tick off the mighty and powerful Army of Switzerland, I don't want to feel their wrath) I think I will just stick with John Taylor.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bettye Zoller on May 12, 2009 at 3:52pm: Oh John...tsk, tsk but Oh So Funny. Yes, I also like "the Voice that Paints Pictures,." in fact, I like it so much I'm stealing it.....only kidding...it was a joke, folks. But darn it, that is a great slogan. I like slogans like that. What I don't like is "Today's Sound" (nobody else is today??) or "The Ultimate Voice" (is there only one? I doubt it. In fact, I doubt this voice is the ultimate...and what does that mean anyway? or "Voiceover Candy" or "Voiceover Pasta" or "Voiceover Hamburger" ... see...it's schlocky and just doesn't ring right with me...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chadd Pierce on May 7, 2009 at 9:25am: I'm an oft-corrected voicery infant, but it seems like "Pierce... With Your Words" makes sense. Maybe cents, too?

I had some Photoshop fun and made a few "t-shirts"...

http://www.voiceoveruniverse.com/photo/rocking-the-fuzzy-stick?cont...
http://www.voiceoveruniverse.com/photo/small-padded-room?context=user
http://www.voiceoveruniverse.com/photo/trust-me-i-get-paid-to-say?c...

And one that's just topically silly: http://www.voiceoveruniverse.com/photo/chaddmask-1?context=user

cp; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeff McNeal on May 7, 2009 at 4:28pm: Marketing slogans are for products, not people. Unless they're running for office, I suppose.

At least, that's how I feel about it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Philip Banks on May 7, 2009 at 6:30pm: Quite right Jeff and as for "Branding", no one who claims to have a personal brand really knows what it means.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bettye Zoller on May 12, 2009 at 3:56pm: I agree completely, Phillip! Branding is a concept best not left to the uninitiated. In the best of all worlds, one could hire a pro PR person or advt. agency to do everything...labels, cards, postcards, on and on. I did that one time back in the early nineties and the printed materials were indeed awesome. I spent more than $5000 on all the print materials and then, my agent MOVED her offices just as the print was finished and I picked it up.l left that agent immediately. I had talked my print stuff over with her. She never told me about moving. Asked why, she said, "I have to keep things from competing agents." Huh?; ▶ Reply to This