How should your animated video sound? A Guide to Crafting a Tone of Voice

Let me tell you a few numbers on consumers' behavior: 

40% of consumers prefer memorable content, which means that brands should create messages that are memorable, unique, and engaging to their target audience. In doing so, they can effectively differentiate themselves from their competitors and create a lasting impression on their customers.

33% of consumers prefer a brand that has a distinct personality. This means that brands need to create a unique voice that is consistent across all channels, such as social media, websites, and marketing materials. This helps to build a strong emotional connection with customers and creates a loyal customer base.

32% of consumers prefer brands that tell compelling stories. This means that brands need to use storytelling techniques to capture their audience's attention and convey their brand's message effectively. By telling stories that evoke emotions, brands can create a connection with their customers and make their products or services more relatable.

In all three of these findings, brand tone of voice plays a vital role. 

Let’s break down the details of the tone of voice that it should consist of. Ready? Go! 

Gender of the voice-over. 

Yes, how the voice sounds is a part of the tone of a video. Some products require specific gender to sound true to the audience. For some, there are no such strict expectations, but it is still worth trying which one is better at representing your project to the audience. There are studies that claim the audience finds the male voice more convincing, but at the same time, more people prefer female voices. Anyway, you should do your own research that applies to your brand. 

Speed of the voice-over. 

The speed of the speech is the indicator of a general mode. According to our statistics, an average animated video that lasts 60 seconds usually is filled with 120–140 words. That is not a lot. However, the way the voice-over artist uses pauses, and how fast he/she speaks, will affect the whole video. 

Navigating 4 dimensions

When you're only trying to identify a tone of voice, you are moving in bigger divisions. On that stage 4 dimensions of tone voice, 4 pairs will be extremely helpful. 

• funny vs. serious
• formal vs. casual
• respectful vs. irreverent
• enthusiastic vs. matter-of-fact

Engaging all senses

What does your brand look like, smell like, feel like, and sound like? If your brand were a physical space, what would it look and feel like? Use these sensory experiences to inform the tone of voice for your animated video. For example, if your product has a visual aesthetic that's sleek and modern, your tone of voice may be more direct and straightforward to match that aesthetic. Or if your brand has a warm, cozy feeling to it, your tone of voice may be more conversational and friendly to match that vibe. This sensory approach can help you create a unique and memorable tone of voice that goes beyond just personality traits or emotional responses.

Context matters

Think about the different contexts in which your audience will encounter your animated video. Will they be interacting with your brand in a fast-paced environment, like social media, or a more slow-paced environment, like email? By understanding these different contexts, you can craft a tone of voice that fits the situation and makes sense for your audience. For instance, you might use a more casual, conversational tone on social media to engage your audience, while using a more professional tone in your email communications to establish credibility and authority. By tailoring your tone of voice to the context, you can create a more effective and impactful communication strategy.

Types of the tone of voices, paired

Sometimes you have to combine a few tones of voice at once. It could be just a line in one of them to create a shift in the atmosphere or a change in line with some information you want to put an emphasis on. We have prepared a few examples for you. 

Authoritative: exudes confidence and expertise, commanding the listener's attention and respect.

Paired with 

Provocative: daring and controversial, often challenging the listener's beliefs and assumptions.

Quirky: unconventional and idiosyncratic, often using unusual language and expressions to create a sense of eccentricity and quirkiness.

Caring: empathetic and compassionate, conveying a sense of genuine concern and support for the listener.

Paired with

Cheerful: bright and optimistic, often using humor and playful language to create a happy mood.

Conservative: traditional and respectful of established norms and values, often conveying a sense of formality and propriety.

Paired with

Casual: laid-back and informal, often using slang and colloquial language to create a sense of familiarity.

Paired with

Friendly: warm and approachable, often using conversational language and expressions to create a sense of friendliness and openness.

Passionate: intense and fervent, often expressing strong emotions and beliefs about the topic.

Conclusion

Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UCLA, Albert Mehrabian, formulated a widely-known principle that proposes that only 7% of meaning is conveyed by the actual words used, while a significant 38% comes from the tone of voice used by the speaker. The remaining 55% is attributed to body language, which may be less relevant in voice-over work. Not rocket science, just a theory of communication we all need. Especially you, with the tone of voice goals. 

If you want to nail your animated video for any business purpose and create a fitting, engaging, and powerful tone of voice, don’t look around — just contact us to get things going. We’ve done hundreds of projects across industries, so we are ready to help you, too.