a quick lesson in social marketing, social media and voice over

Father and son voice actors Donald and Kiefer Sutherland

People ask me alot about how I succeed in my search engine optimization, why I seem to be alot of places on the web and “how do you do that?”

It involves pixie dust and eye of newt, to be sure 😉 but I think a better example would be a recent experience I had that describes it pretty well.

I subscribe to Google Alerts with a bunch of key words – I want to know what those words uncover on the web for me.

One of those terms is voice over talent (because I is one, ya know).

Reading a day’s post headlines in the Google Alerts, I was directed to the blog for the very popular advertising agency, Wieden+Kennedy New York who evidently have the Delta Airlines account. Following its merger with Northwest Airlines, Delta is now the nation’s (or world’s or galaxy’s) biggest airline.

Anyway, the agency has a blog (oooo, is that social media at work? hint) and they did a post about their recent TV spots for Delta. These spots feature the voice over genius of Donald Sutherland.

Damn those Sutherland boys (Donald and Kiefer), I just KNOW that every spot they were picked for, I was the client’s SECOND choice for voice talent. I just know it! You’d think those boys could say no once and a while! 😉

Anyway so I watch the spots and they are magnificent. They are well shot (in black and white no less), well edited, superbly written and the voiceover is as I said genius. You can see them at the end here. I say that not only as a marketing, advertising and voice over professional but also as a frequently flyer and not always on Delta.

So bringing this back to the lesson:

* With a free subscription to Google Alerts to find information that is customized for my likes

* I found a blog post to a major advertising agency’s blog (maybe they could be my client some day – why not?)

* Who produced some amazing TV spots that fill my creative mind with more ideas

* Which also included a wonderful voice over performance that I can also learn from

* And without even any of the parties knowing it (Delta Airlines, Wieden+Kennedy, Donald Sutherland and Kiefer Sutherland) I am telling you (and showing you) about their work which now makes it viral.

* If you share this story with even one more person it makes it more viral

And all of it is social.

Any questions?

5 Responses to “a quick lesson in social marketing, social media and voice over”

  1. Hi Peter,

    I can give a thumbs up to all of your thoughts here!

    As I await a script from a client based in Houston and LA, I remember first contacting them in September ’06 after reading about them on a blog from a fellow voice talent. I have done several projects for this company over the years and the payment I received last month for this company was my largest ever voiceover cheque! And to think it all started by reading a blog…

    Exactly four years ago today I began my blog. It has been tremendous fun mixing voiceover, sports and humor and I want to thank you for your encouragement and contributions along the way!

    Best,
    Ralph

    PS Our friend in the VO world, Justin Phillips, shared this on Facebook earlier today and it ties in nicely with your post:
    How to gracefully promote yourself online
    http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/social.media/09/22/netiquette.self.promotion

  2. Happy blogiversary Ralph! It been my pleasure as a subscriber to catch your blog regularly.

    Best always,
    – Peter

  3. They say the “information is power”, but that’s only true if you absorb it and think about how to use it… which you are obviously doing.

    Good pointers… may your pixie dust pot continue to overflow, Peter!

  4. Hi Andy,

    Thank you and you are right. Sometimes we all have to consciously stop and think about how we are interacting with media…how did we get to this link, where will this link take me etc?

    The ride can be fun but there has to be a bigger point to it than “just a ride”.

    Best always,
    – Peter

  5. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Cat Marshall, Justin Phillips. Justin Phillips said: RT @audioconnell voxmarketising – a Lesson in Social Marketing http://bit.ly/beWAIf […]