Having the right voice accent can have a significant impact on both your VO projects as well as your brand. In fact, the voice accent you opt for matters more than you think.
Why?
Well, in a three-fold effect, the right voice accent has the power to get your audience to connect with your story, to intrigue them with the novelty of your characters, and to make them take your brands message seriously. And the audience most certainly will if they can relate to what is being said as well as if they trust the voice of the voice actor.
Since Voice123’s biggest market is the greater US, we’re going to focus solely on the most popular accents in the US market. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at how choosing the right voice accent can help your brand better resonate with your audience.
1. Southern voice accent: research shows it’s persuasive
A recent Moneypenny survey of U.S. consumers found that the Southern accent was most effective in convincing people to buy something. The perception is that the Southern accent is friendly and pleasing to the ear. So, if you’re a corporate brand using storytelling to promote a product/service, using a southern accent can strike a stronger chord with your audience!
2. British voice accent: voted the second most attractive accent
Survey respondents cited that the British accent is attractive enough to make customers more willing to try out a product. Across various generations surveyed, the British accent was voted as being much more appealing than the French accent.
Nearly 38% of Gen Z consumers also said that they recently changed their digital assistant to that of a British accent. They also regard it as the most friendly accent — almost on par with the Southern accent. The British accent is also popular for novelty voice over projects such as, birthday messages in the U.S., Australia and even the UAE.
Films like the Harry Potter series and TV shows like Downtown Abbey have been major drivers off the popularity behind the British accents’ success. An increase in audiobook sales have also been attributed to recordings by the famous British voices of Kate Winslet, Colin Firth, and Stephen Fry.
3. Australian voice accent: there’s a growing preference
A 2017 survey on hiring trends for accents, dialects and languages, points to an increased demand for the Australian accent. The survey also revealed that English is the preferred language for VO projects, although French, Italian and Japanese were listed as the top three fastest growing languages in the world.
The Australian accent sounds the same in different regions. So, class, rather than geography, dictates the specific differences in the Australian accent.
The majority of Australian English speakers employ what is commonly referred to as the ‘general accent’. A second variation, the ‘broad accent’, belongs to the stereotypical Aussie ocker accent. However, it is generally believed that the American accent had almost no influence in the development of the Australian accent. See here for more details on the “Aussie accent”.
4. Spanish/Latin American voice accent: still holding strong
Around the world there’s a growing demand for either a Spanish or Latin American accent in voice over projects. Depending on the nature of the project or localization needs, the general desire is to hire voice actors who sound really convincing. If you’re considering a Latin American accent for your project, here are a few factors worth considering.
- Common types of Spanish: Castilian Spanish is universally understood by Spanish, Caribbean Spanish and Mexican Spanish speakers.
- Spanish unfortunately requires a longer time to say something compared to English. For example, a 60-second commercial in English would be the equivalent of a 75-second commercial in Spanish.
- Whether your project is hyper-targeted to an audience or intended to serve a general audience, you can still use a Spanish accent by simply tweaking your script to suit the voice.
5. French-Canadian voice accent: demand is growing!
There are a few but noticeable pronunciation differences between Metropolitan/Standard European French and Québec French. Québec French speakers use the second person pronoun tu more often than Metropolitan French speakers, who may think such a reference is impolite. Québec French vocabulary borrows several English words, which are easily detectable in day-to-day conversations.
Accents are under greater scrutiny
Critiquing the accents of famous movie actors has emerged as a well-paying job. Millions can now tune in to watch or hear vocal coaches evaluate the proficiency with which actors can pull it off. The importance of nailing the voice accent is pivotal when portraying a non-fictional character. Consequently, a consistent accent also injects a big dose of realism into fictional characters, making them more authentic. A fitting example is British actor Tom Holland who often has to put on an American accent. You can also, post a project for free on Voice123, which is a great way to find an array of accents and voice styles to suit all your project requirements.
Final thoughts
If you’re looking to convey a consistent brand voice, a uniform accent can help build better brand recall. On the other hand, for creative story-telling, a variety of accents can add more interest and attract attention in a shorter amount of time.
Above all, make sure the accent you choose adds an element of fun and mystery to your VO project. On that note Voice123 has a diverse range of voice talent to suit all your VO projects. Find one here!
Finally, we’d like to wish you every success as you continue to pilot your way through the world of voice accents!
FAQ’s on choosing a voice accent
Voice123 has just the right voice accent to suit any project. You can also find a diverse range of accents, languages and voice styles on the platforms.
According to MoneyPenny a Southern accent is the most popular voice accent. The British accent came in second, followed by the New York accent in third place.