I’ve have produced voiceovers for a fair number of TV car commercials over my many years. Some of the spots in both script and pictures were frighteningly bad.

And sometimes maybe the voiceover wasn’t perfect either 😉

But some of these TV spots for auto dealers were good, really good.

Local TV spots for car dealers can be challenging because often times the dealer / owner wants to be in the commercial and…and, well, let’s just say they shouldn’t be.

On the other hand, some folks are great on TV and it helps them sell lots of cars. I went to high school with a friend of mine whose family owns a number of dealerships in Western New York. He runs the dealership now, he’s the TV spokesperson and the camera loves this guy!

He’s never asked me to voice his spots. That sonofa… 😉

So producing car spots can be tricky and there really is an art to a spot that isn’t just screaming price and promo (but make no mistake – those screaming spots sell lots of cars!)

A spot I recently voiced for a dealership in the Albany, NY area did a really creative thing with their dealership’s TV commercial.

They used mostly graphics and some video to underscore the selling point of the script. The most unique thing is…almost no cars in the entire spot, yet it is very clearly a car commercial!

I’m not saying this because I voiced the spot, truly I am not.

This spot hits all the right points of difference and branding elements to create an effective car commercial.

Watch this.

Tags: commentary, commercials, video, youtube by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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“There are legal obligations to assist the criminal, but who is there to help the families of the victims?”

When I was chosen as the narrator for the North Carolina Victim Assistance Network recent informational and fund-raising video production, that’s the line in the script that caught my attention.

Who DOES help the families of murder victims? Where IS the support for individuals and families whose lives have been ruined by violent crime?

In my new home state of North Carolina, the answer to those two questions is the North Carolina Victim Assistance Network (NC-VAN).

The well-produced video is an uncomfortable video to watch at first because none of us like to hear about or watch the suffering of others.

But without NC-VAN, many impacted North Carolina families would be completely adrift in some of the most awful ways one could imagine. NC-VAN gives violent crime victims and their family a kind of anchor, some direction and a bit of hope in an otherwise seemingly hopeless situation.

At the end of the video, it is the North Carolina Victim Assistance Network that asks for the help it so willingly offers others everyday. It is financial help they need. It is financial help they deserve.

If you can help them, I hope you will. Thank you.

Tags: narrations, video, video production, youtube by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Just two quick bits of housekeeping that almost nobody but me cares about or is excited about but it’s my blog, so what the heck.

1. Two new videos have been added to the flash video rotation on audioconnell.com from Kwik Bond Polymers and Darien Lake…I hope you’ll check them out.

IF you haven’t subscribed to my YouTube Channel, that’s where I host them and other interesting things so please subscribe and let me know where YOUR YouTube video channel is so I may return the favor.

2. The black stripe at the top of the page has been replaced by a red stripe and to me it looks like new carpet and drapes with a fresh coat of paint added on. Makes me happy and yes, it doesn’t take much.

I warned you this wasn’t exciting stuff. 🙂

Tags: audio'connell voice over talent, audio'connell's social & web links, commentary, video, youtube by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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If you are in or around the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area and have a new or continuing interest in social media as it pertains to you life (business or personal) I highly recommend you attend Podcamp Philly 2010.

Of course if you have a Podcamp ANYWHERE near you, I recommend you attend it.

The cost is only $20 (which basically weeds out the real attenders from the pretenders and makes headcount more efficient for the volunteer organizers) You can sign up HERE.

Tags: blogs, commentary, community, facebook, google, internet, linkedin, marketing, podcamp, podcampphilly, podcast, podcasting, social media, social networking, technology, yahoo, youtube by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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The one that started it all, Podcamp Boston, will celebrate its fifth anniversary this Saturday and Sunday, September 25 & 26, 2010 at the Microsoft N.E.R.D. Center (yes, you read that right).

That’s the good news. The bad news is it looks to be sold out and there is a wait list for tickets. So I guess blog posts like these for their event don’t seem so necessary anymore.

Well, good luck to all involved anyway.

Tags: blogs, branding, community, facebook, google, internet, linkedin, marketing, podcampboston, podcasting, social media, social networking, technology, twitter, yahoo, youtube by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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To be clear, I am not the first person to create a YouTube video for my voice over demo.

In fact, as usual, many have gone before me and probably done it better.

But while I am not first to the party (you know, where there’s that kinda awkward standing around trying to create small talk waiting for somebody…anybody else to arrive next) I certainly will not be last to the party.

So I hope you enjoy my stab at voiceover marketing sprinkled with a dash of humor.

Tags: announcers, branding, commentary, marketing, video, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover, youtube by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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