We received this question from the radiocreativeland this week: “What do you think of ’slice of life’ spots?”

Ah. the good ‘ol “slice of life” spot. That type of commercial where “real” people are conversing back and forth “naturally.” In my experience, I haven’t seen many of these work unless it is clear that the dialogue is meant to be a little cheesy. If an advertiser tries to be serious in a script like this, invariably, it includes product details, prices, disclaimers and other assorted nuggets that no “normal” person would ever say.

To wit:

M1: Hi there neighbor. (dramatic pause) Heeeey, that’s quite a honey of a car, where did you get it?

M2: (chuckling as if he knows a secret) It’s my new Daewoo Nutria XL8YT and I got it at Marv’s Car Barn, home of the 50 best cars in Sweet Home. Only 23-985 with a $5,000 factory rebate, VIN number RT577465NXX, see dealer for details. Hey, we still on for that barbecue this weekend?

M1: (huge belly laugh) You betcha. But first, I’m going to Marv’s at 7833 S. Jones Road in Sweet Home.

M2: (giggling like a 3rd grade girl) Smart move…with Marv’s. See ya neighbor.

Oy.

“It’s essentially VO copy being forced into a situation,” says Stacey Stahl, founder and owner of In Both Ears, a voice over talent agency based in Portland, Oregon.

“Most of the stuff that’s written just doesn’t match what normal people say.” Another issue, mentions Stahl, is that talent in multi-voice spots usually voices their lines on their own, as opposed to together. “It’s difficult to get a rhythm. When talent works together, it makes the spot sound more believable.”

Stahl also notes that engineers, producers, writers and talent must be on the same page before the first voice track is put down, “the expectations need to be communicated at the beginning. That way, there is a common goal to reach. It’s also very important to coach talent to execute the script the way you want.”

It all, however, starts with strong copywriting. “Most of these spots are poorly written and turn out to be a waste of time and money for the client. If you’re trying to force it, don’t bother. Just write a one-voice spot and save everyone the agony.”

One last tip. “Let the talent ad-lib a little, you’d be surprised what you can get.”

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