Question about commercials

PlainJain · #1 01-21-2010, 07:37 PM

What is the thinking behind using a famous actor to do the voice-over for your product without using their likeness or otherwise identifing who they are. Is it cheaper and they are banking on your recognizing the actor or is it some kind of snooty advertising thing?

Jeff Bridges:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaTDVU19oOU

choie · #2 01-21-2010, 08:46 PM

Maybe the idea is to impart some subliminal sense of trust? You may not identify Jeff Bridges' voice as belonging to Jeff Bridges, but you might recognize it on some level. Recognition = credibility / comfort.

Also, he just has a nice, personable, character-filled voice. Why not utilize it?

dropzone · #3 01-21-2010, 08:47 PM

I think a lot of it is that they provide soothingly-familiar-yet-hard-to-place voices and have the requisite "great pipes" while sounding much more "natural" than professional announcers. I heard the head of Hyundai USA touting how proud he was to have Bridges was as a spokesman, but these people don't have iconic voices, like Cary Grant or John Wayne, and most people wouldn't make the connection without prompting.

Also, when you hire a pro he walks in, does a couple takes of varying perfection, and leaves. There's a lot to be said for that at budget time.

In Winnipeg · #4 01-22-2010, 01:09 PM

Who the heck is doing those new Ford truck commercials? Kinda sounds like Denis Leary...

faithfool · #5 01-22-2010, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by In Winnipeg

Who the heck is doing those new Ford truck commercials? Kinda sounds like Denis Leary...

That's exactly what I wondered!

thebenn · #6 01-22-2010, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by In Winnipeg

Who the heck is doing those new Ford truck commercials? Kinda sounds like Denis Leary...

It's Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs.

Brown Eyed Girl · #7 01-22-2010, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlainJain

Jeff Bridges:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaTDVU19oOU

Admirable premise, odd example. Who picks the nose they're born with? And why is there integrity in keeping a really awful body part? Did you see that guy's nose?! Also, I'm relatively certain that they don't actually transplant new noses; they pretty much just fix what's there, which is exactly what The Dude is complaining that people don't do.

Rattlehead02 · #8 01-22-2010, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebenn

It's Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs.

Mike Rowe and Dennis Leary both do Ford Commercials, though from what I remember you always see Mike Rowe, he's more than just a voice over.

Dennis Leary, on the other hand, only does the F-150 commercials, and just a voice over. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Leary#TV_commercials