[Closed] Why are so many ad voice overs 'regional' or 'interesting' accents?

How can you have a voice that isn't regional?

As soon as it became trendy, it became irritating because it's so obviously contrived.

Advertisers don't seem to have realized yet though.

The Co-Operative - Goood with Foood...

Lots are irritating but better than Estuary accents!

Because we're tired of southern accents which have dominated telly since 1934.

Although Sean Bean's on O2 is offensively contrived.

I think if u used southern accents on northerners to try and sell something they wouldn't buy it,
doesn't come across as trust worthy ( prob why they use Parkinson to sell insurance to coffin dodgers)

Do ads for Northern UK regions use Southern accents?

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They tried . . . .

Cos before before the 80s all ads featured middle class kids with received pronunciation. Methinks then probably an attempt at realism and authenticity.

[i]before before the 80s all ads featured middle class kids with received pronunciation[/i]

the Lorraine Chase Campari ads seem to contradict that...

I've always assumed that voice overs with Scottish accents on adverts are used to suggest that the product or service represents good value for money.

Well it's always convinced me of that anyway.

That 'Good with Food' one sounds like 'Gid with Fid' to me.

That isn't even English.

As Mountaincarrot says, it became trendy and consequently annoying. There are some awful presenters too who I find difficult to understand. Bleakley, Zoe Ball, and that Dermot O'Leary are some of the worst. I'm sure O'Leary has invented his own language, where there is just one long indecipherable word for everything, which must be pronounced like a growling dog not pausing for breath.

At least you can lip-read him on the telly, but on the radio you've got no chance.

I'ees willarn to do voice-ovvvaaarrrsss in my native zummerzet accent for cold hard cash.

Unless it involves that dreadful ad (?for muesli bars) with the city types falling out of the sky, like a biblical plague of downsizers.

Jane Horrock's Tesco ads seem to be working OK

"Oooooo we love tool station!!!"

No we don't.

Wickes "Get the job done"

Not all tradesmen are cockney.

Northerners are perceived to be more trustworthy and friendly with the obvious exception of scousers.

Also I think people in the south don't really mind which accent is used whereas a southern accent to chippy northeners might as well be saying "don't buy our stuff".

Northerners are perceived to be more trustworthy and friendly

Smoke without fire etc 😉

I thought only Sean Bean and Sean Pertwee were allowed to do advert voiceovers, it's the law.

before before the 80s all ads featured middle class kids with received pronunciation

the Lorraine Chase Campari ads seem to contradict that...

Quite right. I was thinking of the Alan Parker ads for Birds Eye and Hovis that began in the 70s and not the 80s (although new to me as a young un in the 80s!)

Wasn't the whole point/humour behind the Campari ads ........ that Lorraine Chase's voice was a "joke" ?

I don't think she was chosen because an Essex accent was deemed to sell Campari.

Always wondered why none of the Bristol station radio DJs or newsreaders have west country accents. I likes it and wants to ear more of it.

They play up regional accent on some ads here in the US, which al
ways seems a bit contrived, but have a question along the advert line:

Do TV stations in the UK crank up the volume several steps on every commercial?? They do here and it is really annoying. They have been talking about passing an Fed. Comm. reg that would prohibit it, but nothing ever happens.

..........to appeal to the wider public, perhaps? Good old working class make up the majority of the population, makes perfect sense. More often than note the accents are provided by a well-known actor from that area.

Northerners are perceived to be more trustworthy and friendly with the obvious exception of scousers.

🙄

Do TV stations in the UK crank up the volume several steps on every commercial??

they used to but I think there's a law against it now. if there isn't there bloody well should be 😉

[i]More often than note the accents are provided by a well-known actor from that area.[/i]

that ad for broadband allegedly from Yorkshire - Plusnet is it? - the accents are so fake you can almost see the eccles cakes in their gobs 😉

Cockney + Scouse: Ill-educated, shifty, crafty, sneaky, crooked.

Brummie: Boring.

West Country: Thick.

Oirish: Terrorist, or charming lovable rogues.

Scottish: Bitter, aggressive, hateful.

RC/Home Counties: Posh, snobbish, stuck-up, aloof.

Etc....

I don't mind regional, as it's obviously natural that people have regional accent, albeit they are obviously selected for purpose.

What really grates on me - and it's usually on commercial radio adverts - is the plummy, middle aged, overtly upper class 'put on' accents that seem oh so popular.

john_drummer - Member

Do TV stations in the UK crank up the volume several steps on every commercial??

they used to but I think there's a law against it now. if there isn't there bloody well should be

They get around it my increasing the loudness, but keeping the volume the same.

Channel 4 are buggers for that too

No regional accents bother me at all, as I'm not insular, narrow-minded or bigoted against anyone regardless of origin or background.

I think it's good that people have accents that give them a cultural identity according to where they're from.

I just don't like the snobbishness and parochialism that seems to come with disliking/stereotyping people based on their accent.

for me, it's faking the accent - poorly - that grates the most.

I refer back to the Plusnet ad - how hard would it have been to get a professional Yorkshire person in like "now then now then" Jimmy Savile, or John "get down Shep" Noakes?, nay, they had to get someone in from outside to fake it, and fail it they did 😉

Elfinsafety - Member

Cockney + Scouse: Ill-educated, shifty, crafty, sneaky, crooked.

Brummie: Boring.

West Country: Thick.

Oirish: Terrorist, or charming lovable rogues.

Scottish: Bitter, aggressive, hateful.

RC/Home Counties: Posh, snobbish, stuck-up, aloof.

Etc....

Pretty much spot on (apart from some of the Scottish)

a lot was learnt from call centre's i think.

Whatever happened to Richard Briers ?
He used to do the voice overs for [i]everything[/i] when I was a kid.

I like the way bloke stuff has to be advertised by someone with a gruff voice who has trouble pronouncing the letter T.
We've got one on the local radio for Gran's Me'als, Stourpor' on Severn.

I seem to remember there is some market research that shows people think of northerners and scottish people as sounding more honest than southerners. Yorkshire folk especially are seen as 'straight-talking' apparently.

You sayin I'm fik elf?
Funnily enough I've been stereotyped as think due to my accent many times and sometimes play up to it as it's good to be underestimated.

Because there's more of us than laaaaaaaaaandaaaaaaaaaaaanaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas

😉

Funnily enough I've been stereotyped as think due to my accent many times and sometimes play up to it as it's good to be underestimated.

I've been doing this on here for years! 😀

It's quite fun actually.

Love the way on US shows, that Brits usually have very clipped, RP accents. As though we're all posh and take tea with the Queen. 😆

Does anyone remember the episode of 'The Word', where (a very out of it looking) Eddie Murphy called Terry Christian a 'Cockney'? Ha ha! Christian was well pee'd off by that!

I love accents me. Once spent a very enjoyable hour or so chatting about regional accents with actress and comedian Josie Lawrence.

People should feel proud of where they're from, and not hide their roots, just cos others are bigots. I think it's a bit sad when people drop their regional accents so as to seem more sophisticated.

scots always ££ ads an nothern = wholesome produts

scots always ££ ads an nothern = wholesome produts

People should feel proud of where they're from, and not hide their roots, just cos others are bigots. I think it's a bit sad when people drop their regional accents so as to seem more sophisticated.

Not everyone born and bred in Bristol has a typically Bristolian accent though.

I live in Bournemouth, you'll find a mixture of West Country, Saaaaaaaarf Coast and Oxford English RP here, all spoken by people who grew up in the town.

I thought only Sean Bean and Sean Pertwee were allowed to do advert voiceovers, it's the law

Don't forget Rob Brydon, although I think he covers up his Port Talbot upbringings quite well for the voiceovers. Always sounds very Welsh on QI etc though.

 

Once spent a very enjoyable hour or so chatting about regional accents with actress and comedian Josie Lawrence.

So I hear, she still talks about it now.

because they sound less authoritative and dictatorial, like they want to be - telling you what to buy. More like somebody you'd like to know or possibly trust. eg, Jane Horrocks thinks Tesco is good, so it must be good! she's proper real and in right on Mike Leigh films! If tescos is good enough for Horrocks, and by association, honest to goodness northern type genuine stuff, last of the summer wine, wallace and grommit even, we'll ignore the massive corporation. cos they're nice an friendly and caring, like us.

I seen Jane Horrocks in Battersea Park. You fancy her don't you? She tried it on with me but I told her to behave herself. She looked a bit skinny, so I bought her a little cake.

yeah love Jane Horrocks. She should sell Bugatti's, ohh, this Bugatti, it's bloomin marvellous!

Dot Cotton selling baby formula...

Alf Garnett selling Moisturiser.

Micheal Winner selling insurance.

Oh, hang on...

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Scottish accents apparently inspire trust. Apart from Ken Stott on the Royal Bank adverts.

Begbie selling Pantyliners. oooh, I sooo wanna see that advert!

😆

Radge Week....