VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[JackB]

Case -

Disc -
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- Jack

[Bruce]

Ok, let's think about this for a second. You hand this or mail this to ad agencies. Those that don't automatically discard it or use it as a coffee mug coaster will either put it on a shelf with many other discs or toss it in a cardboard box for future reference. Six months from now they need a new voice for a commercial. They go through their shelf or box and pick up yours.

What does it say about you and your voice? Nada. Zip. The design is clean and simple. It says you and your graphic designer have a fair eye for design but says nothing about the work you do. If they pick up five CDs including yours and the others say, "Smooth, cool reads", "Award winning voice", "Storyteller of choice", or "The Voice You're Looking For", which ones will they listen to first?

Website or graphic advertising design should NOT primarily make YOU happy. It should entice the potential buyers of your services to stick around and listen. If it also pleases you, then that's nice.

B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[Bob Bergen]

I do really like your monogram idea/branding. But I agree with Bruce. I think you should keep the "JB." But it all needs more. Especially your website. Looks too plain wrap. So JB is a starting point. So incorporate Jack's VO career, style, personality, and brand.

[DougVox]

I don't mean to beat a dead horse here, but really, that's all I've got.

What Bruce said. And what Bob said. (Except for his ppositive comments about the "JB" logo...it's totally neutral, as I see it. It might mean something to you, but it means nothing and says nothing to the people who see it.)

Remember that marketing and branding are two separate sides of the same coin. It looks like you've though about marketing yourself, but not about branding yourself. And one without the other is useless.

Marketing gets your name and your brand in front of the people you'd like to work for. But if what you put in front of them doesn't make an impression, you've lost that opportunity.

Branding gives you the chance to tell your own story, in the way that you want it told. It lets you help form peoples' opinions about you and your work. Take some time to think about things from your potential clients' perspectives. What do you want them to think about your sound, before they even listen to your demos. In fact, let's assume (for this exercise) that they're not going to listen. You still have a chance to teach them something about you. As soon as someone looks at your materials, they should have a pretty good idea of what to expect from your sound: corporate, quirky, homespun, enthusiastic, etc.

Unfortunately, this current package only teaches them your name and your initials.

Why miss out on the chance to engage them? The chance to help them understand what you do, and when they should call you?

Good branding elicits a reaction, a response, an emotion. It teaches people where you fit into the big picture, and helps them remember you at the right time.

Bad branding...doesn't.
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Doug Turkel (tur-KELL)
Voiceover UNnouncer®
UNnouncer.com