Spotlight on commercial voice over clients of leading male voice over talent Kabir Singh. NFL, Wendy’s, Acura, Pepsi. Real recording samples!
After the Kansas City Chiefs won the 2019 AFC championship game, they needed to create an electrifying commercial that would build hype for Super Bowl LIV. An ordinary ad would not cut it. An ordinary NFL voice over would not cut it.
Just like the team itself, the ad had to look and sound like a champion.
It had to be bold, confident and upbeat. It had to energize fans and attract TV viewers. So, when it came time for the Chiefs to hire voice over talent for the ad, the goal couldn’t be clearer. They needed an outstanding voice over performance for an outstanding Superbowl performance by the soon-to-be NFL Champions.
As the voice artist for this ad, I want to take a moment to break it down and identify what makes it successful from an NFL voice over perspective.
Some background behind the NFL voice over
For the Chiefs’ Super Bowl preview ad, the NFL voice over was cast and produced using traditional voiceover methods and structures: a voiceover agency located in Los Angeles, CA.
In looking for a voice artist, the team and voiceover agency knew the qualities that would make the ad successful: a cool narrator voice that sounded youthful, energetic, hopeful and fun. They also wanted an urban and/or an African American voice over to reflect the Chiefs’ diverse, multi-cultural and loyal fan base.
Too often, NFL voice overs tend to sound stodgy or too serious (and below, I’ll show you how NFL promos have evolved over time). But the Chiefs were vying for their first Super Bowl win in 50 years. So they needed something fresher and younger.
But what is a ‘cool narrator voice?’
It’s easy for any client to say they want a voice over to sound cool or young. But what does that actually mean?
A voice artist may have qualities about their voice that make them right for the role. But that’s only part of it. A professional voice over artist knows how to adjust the tone and cadence of their voice to reinforce the message being expressed.
A cool narrator voice is one that knows rhythm and music. A cool narrator voice understands how to control the beats to the sentences in which he/she performs voice acting.
In the case of the Chiefs’ commercial, the narrator needed to sound as cool and interesting as the fans who support the team, and as cool as the beloved players on the team.
Defining young male voice talent for an NFL voice over
The Chiefs’ ad also needed to sound youthful. So, what exactly does that mean in this context?
I am often described as a young male voice talent. But a young male voice talent doesn’t have to sound childish or young. A young male voice talent can also sound mature and have authority. An understanding of climactic situations and high-pressure situations allows that maturity to come out on the microphone.
The end result is a narrator that sounds energetic, but composed … passionate, but mature … all the hallmarks of leaders and champions, just like the Chiefs themselves.
How NFL ads have changed over time
If you look at NFL commercials from the last few decades, it’s easy to see the many different styles in approach. NFL ads tend to be a reflection of American culture at any given point in time. As cultural norms change, so do the ads. Voice artists need to be attuned to these changes too. They need to constantly re-evaluate their approach and make sure they bring a fresh sound to each ad. Otherwise, they risk making the voice-over sound outdated or hokey.
Here are a few examples that illustrate how much NFL ads have changed over the years.
1990: Monday Night Football Promo
This ad stands out for a few reasons. For one, you have to appreciate the iconic raspy voice of Wolfman Jack, who was a prominent radio DJ in the 80s and 90s. Instead of using his voice as a traditional NFL voice over, they actually show him on the mic. Watch his facial expressions as he delivers each line. I can guarantee he’d be just as expressive even if he weren’t on camera, because that’s often key to an effective delivery.
If you’re thinking this feels like the start of a sermon, you’re absolutely right. That’s the essence of this ad. It makes Monday Night Football feel like a ritual. It shows families, friends and coworkers getting together—wherever they are—to watch the game. The music track is Hank Williams Jr.’s “All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night,” which was the anthem for Monday Night Football from 1998 to 2011. The track gives the ad a country vibe, but the overall goal is to present Monday Night Football as a fun tradition for everyone.
2002: Coors Light NFL “Twins” Ad
If you watched football in 2002, you could not escape this Coors Light ad. It played so heavily in the early 2000s that it was spoofed by shows like Saturday Night Live and, 15 years later, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Unlike the family focus of the Monday Night Football promo above, this commercial went hard for the masculine party angle: guys tailgating, drinking beer and admiring cheerleaders. Despite the heavy airplay, this ad was controversial at the time and was reportedly called “the most misogynistic ad of the year.” But it would be even more controversial (and cringeworthy) today, showing how quickly advertising evolves with the changing times.
2012: Thursday Night Football Promo
With this promo for Thursday Night Football, we enter a new era of modern-day hype ad, featuring a hip-hop-inspired track by Machine Gun Kelly and Ester Dean. It does not feature any NFL voice over in the traditional sense – just the music, lyrics and some audio clips of play-by-play announcers. It’s a flashy, energetic ad that aims to capture the excitement of watching football on the NFL Network.
2021: NFL Super Bowl LV ‘As One’ Ad
This ad, which promoted the Super Bowl at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, is a perfect example of how NFL commercials have changed over the years, even when the underlying goals are the same. NFL ads have used an inspirational angle for years. But this promo took it to a new level at a time when viewers were desperate for a return to normalcy. The ad does not directly mention Covid, but it captures the moment visually: families distancing from each other, healthcare workers embracing each other, businesses being boarded up. For the voiceover, the NFL used AI technology to recreate the voice and likeness of famed Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. The effect is chilling, yet powerful, especially as it builds to its inspirational ending, juxtaposing live footage from the stadium with Lombardi’s words: “It’s not whether we get knocked down, but whether we get back up … as one.”
Not surprisingly, the response was mixed. Some found it inspiring, while others were “weirded out.” But regardless of its success, the ad also ushered in a new era of unknowns for AI-assisted media and the impact that technology will have on advertising and NFL voice overs in the future.
Comparing NFL voice overs with other sports ads
It’s important to remember that every ad is different: different script, different vibe, different energy, different goal. Voice artists need to adjust their approach according to the unique needs of every VO. (That’s true for all voice overs, not just sports or NFL voice overs.)
For example, compare the Chiefs ad above with another voiceover I did for Under Armour:
Both ads are high-energy and inspirational. They’re meant to hype you up. But listen closely to the differences in tone. In the Chiefs’ Super Bowl promo, the voice sounds like it could be a hard-core fan sitting next to you at the game, or maybe even a player on the field: relatable, knowledgeable, on your team.
In the Under Armour ad, the voice is more raw and edgy. It’s the voice inside your head, pushing you to go harder and never give up. For the VO, I articulate the words harder. I go louder. Angrier. Then, I bring it down at the very end, like the cool-down after an intense win.
So even though both ads are related to sports, the approach to each voice over is actually very different.
Now, compare that voice over with the approach I used in an ad for Liberty University, below. This was not technically a “sports ad,” but since Liberty is known for its athletics program, sports were a prominent focus. At the same time, the high-energy, motivational vibe had to extend beyond sports to apply to academic performance. The voice is cool, composed and determined – just like Liberty’s students.
Now, let’s switch gears even harder. The ad below for Quicksilver showcases an entirely different approach to sports ad voiceovers. Yes, the motivational element is still there. But the copy is almost poetic. It speaks to a different audience. I used a softer approach to start, as if I were speaking directly to the viewer, waking them from a dream. I slowly build the tempo along with the beat of the ad, challenging the audience to “get back out there.”
Again, every ad is different, so you can see how the VO approach needs to adapt every time.
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PRO TIP: When doing NFL voice over auditions, try to study the NFL team’s attitude and marketing. See if you can find the angle of attitude. Does the team provoke maximum authority? Does the team have a more subtle approach and an intimate approach to their marketing?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tips from professional voice over artist, poet and philosopher Kabir Singh.
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As a professional voice actor, I help a wide range of clients, across multiple industries: commercial, educational, religious and so on. Each voiceover project requires me to adapt my style: the sound of my voice, the energy, the cadence and so on.
A great example of this is the voiceover I did for Saddleback Church kids’ ministry – or simply “Saddleback Kids,” as it’s commonly referred to.
In this post, I want to break down how I approached this project as the voice actor for hire and outline what I think makes a good voiceover for bible study lessons for kids, like the demo posted above.
Let’s start with some background about the client, Saddleback Church kids’ ministry.
About Saddleback Church Kids Ministry – A Visual Media Church & Bible Study for Kids
Saddleback Church is a Baptist Evangelical church with a primary location in Lake Forest, California. But Saddleback is actually comprised of numerous church locations around the world, and more than 200 ministries.
For this project, the client was looking for a voice over talent for hire specifically for its Saddleback Church kids’ ministry. Saddleback Kids provides both in-person classes and an online bible study for kids. As such, they need to produce a wealth of engaging church media graphics, visual media church animations and videos to support their Saddleback Church online programs.
That’s where the role of a voice actor becomes so important, especially for its educational programs.
Project: The Story of Easter – What Role Does the Voice Actor Play?
For this project, Saddleback Church kids’ ministry needed a voice actor for its video on The Last Supper, as part of its Story of Easter series.
I have recorded numerous voiceovers for church media over the years, including several for churches offering an online bible study for kids, so I knew right away what was needed.
Most important, a bible study for kids requires the voice actor to have high energy and be full of animation-style spirit.
Okay, what does that mean – and why?
Let’s Start with the Energy …
Picture in your mind a great kindergarten teacher who loves his/her job … a teacher who students LOVE to learn from and get excited about coming to school every day.
What’s their energy level? Can you picture it?
Off the charts, right? They’re active … exciting … moving around … maybe a bit loud at times. And the kids love it!
It’s no different for a voice actor.
To keep kids engaged in their bible studies, the voice actor must keep the energy high. Even for the more solemn parts of a story, like The Last Supper, a professional voice actor knows how to carefully use their high energy, in varying intensities, to keep students rapt.
Without the right energy, the audience will quickly lose interest.
An Animated Personality is Crucial for Bible Study Lessons for Kids
Just like the visual animation itself, a voice actor needs to be animated. More specifically, he/she must have what I call an “animation-style spirit.”
Being animated doesn’t mean just having high energy. It means speaking in a fun, engaging way that kids can relate to. Not necessarily cartoonish, either (because you never want the voiceover to overpower or distract from the message, especially for educational content). Having an animation-style spirit means being able to modulate your voice in a way that keeps things upbeat and exciting. It leaves the audience hanging on every word. That’s exactly the approach I used for Saddleback Church Kids and it’s one of the many reasons why their visual media is so powerful.
PRO TIP FOR CHURCHES: Make sure you hire a voice over talent who will be relatable to your local congregation. For example, if your church is in an urban environment, then you may want an urban voice over sound. This will make the voice sound more like a neighbor or loved one from the community.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tips from professional voice actor, poet and philosopher Kabir Singh.
The role of the voice actor is critical to the success of a motion worship or church background video. If the tone and delivery does not fit the message, then it can create a jarring experience for church-goers.
Church videos and worship house media can serve numerous purposes.
For example, a church background video or other church media can be displayed subtly in places of worship to create ambiance during a service. Or, more engaging church videos can be included as part of the actual service. Worship media is also commonly used on churches’ websites, social media and as part of educational programs for children, just to name a few.
In this post, I want to discuss what makes a successful motion worship video, especially when it comes to working with a professional voice actor.
What makes a great motion worship or church background video?
As a voice actor for hire, I’ve worked with top church motion graphics designers, like The Skit Guys, and I’ve provided my voice to numerous church media videos at Worship House Media (a worship media creator) like the ones highlighted in the demo posted above.
Like all my other voice actor work, this experience has given me insight into what makes church media graphics successful (or not).
Why are some of the videos at Worship House Media so much more powerful than others? What makes some motion worship videos incredibly effective, while others fall flat?
Before I answer these questions, it’s important to first define what “worship media” is and how it’s used.
What is ‘worship media?’
In simplest terms, worship media for churches is designed to connect to the heart and soul of church goers. The media can include church motion backgrounds, worship motion graphics, videos, music and other visuals designed to connect with church-goers, either passively (in the background) or actively (as part of the service or communication from the church).
Each form of media serves a unique purpose. So, to be effective, the most important requirement is that the video achieves that goal.
Now, let’s look at how that can be achieved.
Tips for effective worship house media & church motion graphics
- Spiritually moving in every respect: Worship background projects are full of love and are fueled by the voice actor’s positive spirit. No matter how the church videos are used, they must resonate with the audience on a deep, spiritual level. This requires the voice, visuals, music and message to all be perfectly aligned.
- The right sound: When seeking voice over talent for hire, you need to be sure that the voice actor has the right sound for the project. Should the voice be relatable to the congregation? Should it have an urban voice over sound? A Southern accent? Will it only be a narrator voice, or will it need to match a character being represented in the motion worship video? These are all important considerations.
- Delivery is everything: Does the voice actor sound genuine when reading the copy? Are they feeling it? How well do they deliver the message being expressed? Is the tone and inflection appropriate and changing in the right places? If you look at my Worship House Media Demo above, you’ll notice how the tone and delivery is different in each example: some are soft and gentle, some are powerful, inquisitive, engaging and so on. Each project calls for a different delivery, so it’s critical that you use a professional voice actor who understands how to approach each one individually.
PRO TIP: When doing a voice over for church worship media, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the content. That’s especially true for voice actors who are not active churchgoers themselves. As with every voice over project, you must understand the content and connect with it to be able to deliver the message effectively.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tips from professional voice over artist, poet and philosopher Kabir Singh.
Checkout my YouTube Playlist Here!
For any commercial voice over to be successful, it needs to be perfectly in-tune with the subject matter and the goal of the message. Every message is different, requiring a different voice, a different tone, a different vibe. As a basic example, your typical car commercial will not sound anything like an ad for humanitarian aid. It’s apples and oranges. The voice over (and every other part of the ad) needs to be tailored to suit the message.
That being said, what makes a beautiful commercial voice over? What should it sound like? How is it executed?
Let’s break down some of the most essential elements.
What makes a beautiful piece of commercial voice over script?
The video above is a beautiful ad for The Boppy Company that perfectly pulls together the copy, video, music, voice over and other elements – and I’m honored to have contributed my voice to it.
Behind the commercial voice over was a powerful script that inspired mothers of all ages. It had a poetic cadence and used the voice over to guide the listener to be a motivated and strong mother.
As the professional male voice over selected for this ad, I pulled from my own experiences and emotions to bring this beautiful script to life …
I come from a single mother household. My mom is my inspiration in my life. My mother’s strength has guided me through my adulthood. As she ages, I take care of her and show her the same love a mother showed me growing up.
During this voice over session, I used all those feelings of strength, love and pride to guide me. The script provided the foundation for me to express those feelings in the sound and rhythm of my voice. So the end result sounds like a genuine, heartful message for moms – and not at all like a typical commercial.
What makes a good commercial voice over actor?
The best commercial voice over actors don’t simply read the copy on the page. They immerse themselves into the message and the brand behind it. Without this crucial step, it’s almost impossible to get the voice right.
Boppy’s #Mamabear campaign is an ode to moms – it’s an empowering ad that celebrates Mama Bears’ fierce devotion and love for their babies. It’s about recognizing all you moms out there who overcome challenges every day in your “beautiful, messy, imperfectly perfect world” while handling it all with grit and grace. This message is integral to Boppy’s underlying mission of supporting, uplifting and educating moms through their journey of motherhood.
The visuals reinforce this message with images of moms balancing motherhood with the busy demands of their lives at work and home. “Not just surviving, you’re thriving.”
For a commercial voice over actor to miss the mark here would be a disservice to the entire campaign. It could come across as cheesy, ingenuine or simply disconnected from the message.
Instead, every element of the campaign comes together harmoniously to create a beautiful tribute to moms.
Ultimately, that is what defines a good commercial voice over actor – one who understands the importance of this harmony and can adapt their voice to the emotion of the campaign.
PRO TIP: When creating a commercial voice over spot for your client, ask this question truthfully: what is the single most powerful emotion of their message? Once you have that, dive deeper into that emotion with creative outlets and focus on its truth from a human perspective.
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