Posted on Leave a comment

The AI Challenge and Why Humans Triumph in Political Messaging

Dot matrix image of a face, representing a generative AI voice on the left, with a Neumann U87 studio recording microphone in the middle and a young African American woman on the right, representing a human voiceover talent. The background is a dark blue to lighter blue gradient of a dot matrix field and there is a white sound wave representation in the background behind the microphone.

AI Threats Against Truth and Integrity

In an era dominated by technological advancements, the battleground of political communication faces a new frontier: the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI). As lawmakers in multiple US states grapple with the implications of AI-generated content in political messaging, the debate surrounding the ethical use of technology and the value of human-driven communication intensifies.

Generative AI presents an unprecedented challenge in the realm of political communication. Its ability to fabricate realistic images, audio, and video content raises concerns about the potential manipulation of political narratives.

According to Public Citizen, California, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas and Washington have already enabled legislation legislation to safeguard the integrity of political messaging. These legislative efforts aim to prevent the dissemination of deceptive AI-generated images, audio, or video intended to damage a candidate’s reputation and deceive voters.

The Human Factor: Embracing Authenticity and Trust

Amid the AI upheaval, the intrinsic value of human-driven communication continues to instill the truest and most honest sense of trust. Authenticity in political messaging, conveyed through genuine human voices, offers a vital counterbalance to the potential deception of AI-generated content. The ethical use of real human voices upholds transparency and fosters voter trust.

Embracing human-driven messaging signifies a commitment to ethical standards and to our fellow human, as well as safeguards the democratic process against misinformation and deceitful tactics.

By enacting laws that discourage the use of deceptive AI-generated content, lawmakers aim to reinforce ethical boundaries and protect the sanctity of political discourse. These legislative proposals to counter AI-generated deception signal the start of a much needed movement. One that gives humans the upper hand in delivering truthfulness and integrity in political messaging.

Amplify Your Message with the Power of Humanity

As technology continues to evolve, and AI continues to become more commonplace, the preservation of genuine human voices in political messaging is paramount to ensuring the credibility and trustworthiness of the candidates or causes they lend their voices to.

  • #politicaladvertising #politicalcampaigns #AI
Posted on Leave a comment

Voiceovers In Our World Are Now Everywhere

Voiceovers are Everywhere
by Dianne D. – SunSpots Productions, Inc.

We take our audio wherever we go…from our morning alarm, to the shower, to our car, on the way to class, the gym, on our dog walks, poolside and beyond.  And today, there are more and more places to hear targeted voiceover ads and political messages than ever before!  While traditional radio, TV and social media advertising buys remain marketing go-to’s, there are loads of other outlets for getting audible messages to the voting public.

Samsung Smart Refrigerator

Listen to this!  In a case study from The Trade Desk and Spotify, ads with audio boosted content recall by more than 150 percent and when combined with video and display components, recall was amplified by over 200 percent!  This article highlights some of other findings and trends.

With all that attention for eyes and ears everywhere we go, directed consumer marketing is becoming more programmatic by the minute.  That is, software designed to automate strategic ad buys on websites and apps using algorithms to specifically target our likes, dislikes, habits, and interests. But that’s a blog for another day.

The next time you’re out and about, take a listen to all the audible messages you encounter with voiceovers.  You may be surprised how certain ads follow you … and stay with you. 

Need the right voice for your audio application? We’ve got lots of them. All solid voiceover professionals and available online or call us at 407-656-3400 to discuss your needs. 

Posted on Leave a comment

Going Negative in Political Ads: Does It Work?

Grover Cleveland attacked in poliitcal cartoon for protectionist tariffs in 1888.

Are negative political commercials and attack ads useful?

With the sheer volume of negative political ads that voters are exposed to in hotly-contested political campaigns, one might assume that negative ads work. They must work to motivate voters, or persuade voters, or educate voters, since they’re so commonplace.

But recent political campaigns have shown that negative campaigning is no more effective at winning votes than positive messaging, although voters do remember negative ads more than positive ones. That is, both positive and negative political ads can be effective, if done well. Choosing the right political voice to relate to and persuade voters is likely more important than whether the ad is issue-oriented or an attack on a candidate’s character.

Negativity is in the Eye (or Ear) of the Beholder

Evidence is building that negative political ads can motivate voters to vote for the campaign advertiser, especially in cases of extreme partisan loyalty and in very close elections, where partisan messaging becomes a more common theme. Voters with a strong party affiliation and a deep interest in the campaign tend to be more tolerant of negative messaging than non-partisans, rallying to their candidate when he or she attacks the opponent on the opposing side.

In fact, all voters – even those who say they do not like negative discourse – are more responsive to negative commercials than they are to positive ones. Responsiveness to the ad could mean support for the ad sponsor, or just the opposite – a backlash against negativity. For these people, negative ads may work, provided they’re focused on the issues, not the opposing candidate’s reputation.

Policy vs. Personal Attacks

Voters tend to separate a campaign ad’s tone from whether they believe it to be informative. That is, many voters will think of a campaign ad as negative but also think that it contains relevant, truthful information.  So, negative yet policy-oriented ads may be a good strategy for tight races.

The tendency to “go negative” increases in close races, as well as big-budget campaigns.  The bigger the ad spend for the campaign, the more likely it is the campaign will be a negative one. This, too, seems to support the idea that negative ads help in some situations.

In recent elections, there are some signs that overwhelming attacks on the credibility of a candidate can cause voters to stay home who support the candidate who’s being attacked. A perfect example of this is the Trump v. Clinton campaign for president in 2016. Trump ran no positive ads, focusing mainly on Clinton’s scandals and on tarnishing her reputation. One could argue that all that negative advertising caused Clinton’s voters to refrain from voting or that Trump motivated his base to turn out, or both.

Independent Voters Are Less Swayed by Negativity

There is one group that political science research shows are not swayed by negative ads:  independent voters. With the increasing importance of independent and swing voters in national elections, campaign staff would be well advised to consider the content and tone of their ads. Do they want to go negative and alienate voters from the “other” party? Or alienate those critical independent voters?

Here at PoliticalVoiceTalent.com, we can help you decide the tone and content of your message, and find the perfect voice over talent for your ad campaign. Whether it’s a positive issue-oriented campaign or the strategy is to attack the opponent, an experienced political voice over actor will provide the impact you’re looking for.