This is not an article about politics, but rather the impact of socio-political and socio-psychological trends on the commercial industry, and how that impacts the choices we make as voice actors. My job is to keep my finger on the pulse of the industry, and regardless of how we individually feel about the results last Tuesday, they are going to have an effect on our business.
I’ve been having conversations with advertising industry players since the election was decided, and I am convinced that we are about to see a rapid shift in what gets hired for commercial voiceover as a result of the vote, and that we need to be aware of what is coming.
The consistent theme of these conversations has been that buyers/brands/corporations and the advertising pros who support them have been jarred into a massive rethinking of how they have been selling many of their products. Much like many people did not see what the tea leaves were saying about the election, advertisers were caught off guard by the possibility that they have been missing market segments and positioning their brands in ways that are not effective to substantial portions of the population.
Let’s add some historical context with regard to how the political climate pertains to delivery and performance trends in commercial voiceover.
We’ll begin with 1996-2000, Bill Clinton’s second term as President. Everything prior to this period falls into the category of “the before time,” where announcer reads were fairly universal in commercial VO.
The first hints of change came during the dot com boom, during Clinton’s second term. Millennial voices began to find some traction, especially in the tech vertical, with younger male voices in particular starting to book reads that I would describe as pre-conversational. They weren’t as nuanced or acting-centric as much of what we have seen over the past decade-plus, but they were very different for the era. They felt like the future, and dovetailed with an optimistic America where the stock market was through the roof, “the end of history” had been declared, and there was an assumption that we were entering a period of permanent peace and innovation.
The dotcom crash, and then 9/11, put a hard stop to many of these trends. The Bush era saw a reversion of commercial performance trends to reads that were more corporate, polished, and in many cases assertive and even Alpha. While there were exceptions in places, the period between 2000 and 2008 was a time where powerful voices dominated commercial VO, and there was less room for brighter, fresher sounds.
Eight years of trauma, war, and two massive economic collapses, (the bursting of the tech bubble and then the Great Recession,) changed the mood of the nation, and in 2008 Barack Obama was elected on a platform of hope and change. Simultaneously, we began to see the beginning of the conversational revolution in commercial VO (and other genres as well,) as the nation and VO industry embraced introspection, self-care, youth, and diversity.
This trend snowballed into an unstoppable juggernaut, and has dominated the commercial space for over a decade.
Correlating trends like these to political winds and national psychology, one might have expected a pivot back to older-school approaches after the 2016 election. Rather, the unexpected nature of Donald Trump’s first win, coupled with the immediate resistance to the new administration, if anything led to an acceleration of the already prevailing trends, with smaller, acting-centric, conversational, relatable, and deeply authentic reads dominating throughout the 2016-2020 period. The COVID pandemic enhanced the appeal of less-is-more approaches and human connection in commercial VO performance, as the nation needed comforting, and in-your-face deliveries were largely frowned upon.
This continued largely through 2022 into the Biden administration, however even before last week’s election we have been beginning to see signs of the methods that have been dominant since the late ‘aughts starting to become less omnipresent. The “Happy Mom” read started trending in 2023 with a little more polish and sunshine returning to many female reads. Certain verticals that trend heavily male have seen a bit more push in performance over the past year. It makes me wonder if we could create some algorithm that might use VO trends to forecast elections, LOL.
The conversational read still predominates, but this may be about to change.
Indeed, in the conversations I’ve been having over the past week, I’m being told to expect much more of the following to make it to air, (which, as always, doesn’t mean the specs will immediately change, but they could do so more rapidly than we’ve seen in the past.)
1.) Assertiveness in general, across the board for men and women, and all demographics. We’re not going back to 1990’s announcer puke, but push and polish may be making a rapid return.
2.) A trend towards somewhat older talent.
3.) Female reads that are steely and confident, male reads that are more Alpha without being priggish.
4.) The “tech-bro” read becoming a thing very quickly, especially around suddenly hot-again crypto and finance products, and other tech-heavy industries.
5.) Alternatively, MUCH more targeting and geo-fencing, with heavy emphasis on compassionate reads for verticals that may be directly impacted by the shifting socio-poitical landscape, especially healthcare and health services.
6.) No shift away from diversity. Indeed, I’m told that diverse voices may now be actively considered for product categories that may not have previously been accessible, as companies realize that consumption patterns are not as monolithic in some spaces as they might have assumed.
Overall, the consensus is that, with the exception of commercials that contain humor, which could become edgier but are otherwise unlikely to change in terms of delivery, the days of less-is-more may be numbered, and with a low number indeed.
The election is still, and will remain a sore subject. I’m not here to judge your politics, (and acrimonious commentary will be deleted.) I’m here to pass along information that IS ALREADY CHANGING THE WAY I AUDITION, and will affect all of us.
The coming months and years may see events that cause these shifts to be short-lived. Alternatively, they may become “the next thing,” after over a decade of everything moving in one direction performance-wise. Commercial VO has been overdue for a pivot. Buckle up.
Very insightful. Thank you for taking a look at the coming trends and giving us a rich backstory of what the trends have seen and why. It’s going to be a wild ride going forward and I look forward to the challenge. Invaluable as always!
What a tremendous read. Excellent, J. Michael. And I feel uniquely poised to provide precisely what you describe. Excellent article.
I feel like I just heard you talk about this. Very recently. Hehehe. Seriously, you could probably teach a college course in this stuff with your expertise and experience.
Fascinating insights J. Michael. I enjoy reviewing your assessments. Could it be yet another example of that old adage, history repeats itself stylistically in this case.
Very interesting! This is all good to keep in mind for my auditions.
What a read. Even as a post 2020 VO understanding the prior was a big help. Kudos chief!
Really really awesome and eye opening read, J. Michael! Thank you so much for your continued insights they are incredibly valuable!
Really interesting, especially with the long-term historical perspective. I’d love to see – er, hear this turned into a podcast episode, with examples of the styles from different periods!
Super interesting, thanks for your insights. I do think a book analyzing VO in its socio-political context since the dawn of advertising would be a fascinating read.
I enjoy these assessments and have dined on the fruit of my labor when I shifted to the “-nonchalant” type read. I enjoy reading your thoughts. Sounds like it’s going to be another great year. Change is good and it keeps our work interesting.
Thank you, J Michael! Very insightful read!
While I am sure this will happen, I still routinely hear very old school announcer reads for streaming ads. There’s a “Rooms To Go” ad that plays on Hulu where the VO is absolutely the classic overly-pushed announcer read all the way through. Makes me chuckle every time I hear it.
Seat belt fastened…ready to soar with stories and syntax to match!
Great article. We can learn so much from listening to people on the other side of the glass. I’d love it EVEN MORE if there were links to examples of each type of read you reference!
Thanks for sharing in such an elegant summation.
Excellent insights! Thank you for sharing.
You always find the right pulse points to locate the sweet spot of future trends. Thank you for sharing your thoughtful, intuitive insight J. Michael.
Amazing! Thanks for the insight, JMC. I am so grateful to be here for it. Let’s gooooooo!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for these insights JMC! Much appreciated
As actors we need to adjust when called upon. Having the insight and understanding of trends is paramount. Thank you for pointing out how things are changing (always changing right?).
I always love to hear intelligent people who are actually working in the industry!! Thank you for this insight as we navigate what’s to come… thank you, JMC!
Fantastic insights as always JMC!
Very Insightful indeed! Thanks, JMC. Could you give a voice to listen to as an example of a good STEELY female read?
What fascinating observations you make, JMC. I appreciate the in depth nature of the article, the research you have put in and the overall perceptions you have brought to light. Thanks for taking the time and sharing what you see happening. Good read.
Thanks as always. Love these!
Very interesting take, J. You’ll be well-positioned personally, no doubt…gee, know any other VOs capable of polish and push? 😉
Nice read. We simply need to adjust and learn, as change is the one constant with time.
Wow! A history lesson and insight into the rapidly changing commercial trend in VO. We have to know this stuff. This is why I subscribe to your newsletter. Thanks, J. Michael.
Well said. So helpful and insightful. Thank you.
Well analyzed and written, as usual. I hadn’t made the connection with the way the political winds have blown, but I have noted a few more national level auditions lately which are asking for more of an assertive tack. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
JM – Thank you for the insight on what I can only describe as an “actionable” time for VO People. Especially those of us whose body of work leans heavily in Commercial, Corporate Narration and Promo.
As we jump on for yet another big swing of the ever-present pendulum that is the Advertising Industry – how should our core foundational tools – Auditions and Demo /Work portfolios stay nimble and tack to the changing winds?
Curious to get your thoughts on not only how we evolve in Auditions- but equally important is there an opportunity to evolve our demo and work portfolios to become more targeted to a prevalent Casting Spec? I’m not suggesting we just chase what’s shiny and new – or stray into a wheelhouse with no wheel but rather not be confined to the standard categories for the Main Blue Chips – Commercial, Promo, Political, Radio Imaging – Corporate Narration, Automotive etc.
I could imagine a demo/work reel featuring my range in “Alpha without being Priggish”. That’s squarely in my wheelhouse. “Authentic with a Light Blue Collar” or “Authoritative Gravitas that is not Sam Elliot ” (I pray for that one).
But honestly, I think these types of Socio/Political/Economic Tsunamis that we The VO People experience at the forefront give us an opportunity to reassess refine and perhaps reimagine how we can continually hone granularity with the emotional nuance of our work.
‘Emotionally available but with clear diction” comes to mind. And this post has me asking myself – how can I stay nimble to current and changing trends and still stay authentic. That fight to stay ‘in trend’ but true to oneself is something I confront every day as an Actor. And I’m sure I’m not alone. Every day I fail in some and I succeed in others. In most cases I’ll never know. Nature of the beast I guess.
What I do know without a doubt – every time I hit your blog I come away thinking – and am grateful for your ability to articulate the big picture so clearly.
Thank you as always JM for being a Beacon in the VO Wilderness. Your insight, generosity of thought and ever-present North Star guidance in this 360 business is priceless.