The team at Corporate Sound take our careers very seriously, and some of our talent will even venture around the world to further enhance their craft.
Recently, our Male Talent 8 dashed over to Los Angeles, to attend an Audio Book narrators Master Class.
We asked our very talented voice artist to tell us about it…
"It was an intense two day workshop, run by Barbara Rosenblat. (Orange is the new black).
She pushed this elite group of voice over pros to the absolute limit.
It helped me find a new ‘inner-voice’ and bring greater nuance & subtlety to longer reads. Well worth it, even though there was much squirming with the learning!"
Here’s a photo of Barbara dishing out some tough learning love!
Why not try him out on your next narration project?
Tyreright, an Australian tyre dealer has recently had their television commercial pulled, after the Advertising Standards Board deemed the content to have “mocked and ridiculed” the representation of an Asian man.
The advertisement featured comedian Vince Sorrenti explaining to a man of Asian decent, the advantages and benefits of using Tyreright. The Asian man (who appears to be standing in front of a rice field) then asks the service takes a ‘wong time’ in broken English.
The Advertising Standards Board believe there was no need to represent an Asian man in this way to get the message across, and thought the message to be a form of racist stereotyping. (For more information, read the article at Smart Company).
However, Tyreright made a statement saying that it was not their intention to offend.
We’ve talked about offensive radio advertising in a previous post, and it is a hugely important issue. Australian standards have really changed significantly in the past decade. I guess our country needs to be much more conservative in their approach, and really consider how their advertising can impact on the citizens of Australia.
While we are sure Tyreright were just having a little fun, with any harm intended – except maybe to add a little humour to make their television commercial memorable, there probably wasn’t the need to convey their message in such a way.
Having said that, Australians don’t mind taking the Mickey out of themselves, and you are sure to see many advertisements featuring the stereotypical ocker Australian – surely that is the same thing, except we’re less likely to get all up in arms about it.
Either way, when it comes to your television or radio commercials, or any marketing for that matter, take time and effort when considering the content for your marketing material. Ensure your advertisement doesn’t contain offensive material of any sort – that way you will keep all your customers happy.
Corporate Sound is the audio master behind many of the audio productions you hear on television. Get a quality audio production for your next television commercial, and contact our professional team today.
The Advertising Standards Bureau has released a report about the most complained about television advertisements from 2014 so far.
According to the report, of the top 10 reported television commercials, none of them were actually pulled from the air. Complaints ranged from being too sexist, degrading, embarrassing, explicit and over the top.
The two-standout television commercials that received complaints were:
Be Real Launch – Carefree TV Commercial Ad
This advertisement received a total of 185 complaints, mainly because the advertisement was too explicit in its detail about menstruation. I guess their aim of “Be Real” was a little too real for some viewers … with one complaint stating: “It is unnecessary, confronting, embarrassing and degrading.”
Sam Kekovich – lamb on Australia Day
I have to be honest, Sam Kekovich and his lamb advertisements always get a giggle out of me, but it seems not everyone who watched it found it funny. In fact, this television commercial received a total of 80 complaints.
Viewers complained about the advertisement being homophobic, with Sam mistaking a lesbian for a man, and then implying that kids won’t grow up to be strong if they don’t eat lamb. Sam even handed a young boy with a single that read “Vegan and Proud” a lamb chop, and urged other “If you don’t have frogs of your own, then teach someone else’s how it’s done.”
The team here at Corporate Sound are very intrigued with the complaints made to the Advertising Standards Bureau. There are often many debates in our office as to whether or not we are losing the Australian humour and innocence once implied by our television commercials to those who read too deeply into what is meant by the television commercials, or are we now in a time and place where we must be more conservative in our approach?
The world of advertising is a marvellous field, yet it is constantly changing and conforming, keeping advertisers on their toes. Corporate Sound helps many businesses with their radio and TV advertisements through out audio production service. For more information on how you can get a compelling audio production for your next television campaign, call us today.
If you are looking to increase conversion rates for your website, then why not consider incorporating audio advertising as part as your online advertising strategy? In fact, many businesses are seeing the power of online audio advertising on the Internet, with many utilising this stream to help customers better understand their products and services.
A professional audio production will get your website visitors more engaged, and they will therefore will learn more about your brand, building brand awareness and forming a trust between you and them.
Your audio should form part of a strategy to build recognition and to get your listeners to turn into customers. You can use your radio commercials or message on hold audio advertisements online, or you can get professionally recorded blogs, articles, interviews, podcasts and / or product reviews to put up on your website.
Remember all content published on your website is a reflection of your brand,. It is a piece of your company’s marketing material, so you will want it to sound professional. Amateur recordings will devalue your customers’ perception of you, so please make sure you put in the time to ensure your audio production is of the highest standards.
We invite you to contact our team here at Corporate Sound, we can help with all your audio productions, from scriptwriting, voiceovers and audio production. We will work with you every step of the way, in order to create a high quality audio production for your online advertising.
Our team are more than capable of helping you create awesome content that will not only entertain, but educate your website visitors, and hopefully turn them into customers.
For more information about our high quality online audio productions, please call us on 07 5551 0260.
You may hate them, despise them and can’t even bear to look at them, but there is definitely no denying that the Kardashian clan are a very astute business bunch. In 2010, they made $65 million dollars, not just from their reality TV show, but also other business ventures, such as endorsements, products and appearances. Hate them as much as you want, but the Kardashians are a very lucrative business, and businesses around the globe can most certainly learn a thing or two from them.
Tapping into Every Opportunity
Kardashian mum, Kris, never misses a beat! And while many consider her over the top, she has helped her children cash in on some massive deals over the last decade. They are at the forefront with modern trends and they have their hand in many pies.
While they understand who and what their target market is, and as they grow, they are figuring out new ways to increase their proportion of the market and lend their name to bigger and better ventures.
Are they over exposing themselves? Sure, they’ve made mistakes and probably will again in the future – but their growth strategy isn’t about a long lasting brand, I guess they’re aware they could lose their popularity at any time, and are making the most of the now.
While businesses must think of their future, they must also consider how they can get the best and most out of now, without being too greedy. Identify the best ways to cleverly build your brand and awareness, and leverage on opportunities that could help you build a successful empire.
They are Relatable
The one thing their realty TV series has shown is that while they are super rich and famous, they are just like any other person. They make mistakes; they worry about what people think and their lives don’t live out like fairy tales.
Customers want to relate with businesses also, and the more your customers trust you, the more they will do business with you. It’s as simple as that!
Social Media Does Work
If anything, the Kardashians have shown what social media can do for a brand. They can demand thousands upon thousands of dollars for a simple tweet. Yes they have the following, but they have worked hard to build it, and they are constantly engaging with their fan-base.
Businesses have the potential to leverage off these online social networks, and build relationships with their customers and convert sales. It takes time and it takes strategy, but let me tell you it can really pay off.
Deal with the Bad
Let’s face it; they’ve had their fair share of bad times, yet they have ridden these tumultuous rides with composure. They are a transparent business, that is how they have built it, and what comes with the good, comes with the bad also. They find ways to turn the negative into a positive.
Take for instance when Kim put on all that weight from her pregnancy, she made a fortune to lose it. This brand can seriously turn anything into Gold!
Love them or hate them, the Kardashians are a very successful business and brand. The team here at Corporate Sound may not love everything they do, but we respect how they have built an empire.
Is there a fine line between what is considered to be comedy and offensive advertising? Recently, Queensland car dealers, Llewellyn Holden had a radio commercial pulled from the air after it was found to be offensive.
The advertisement, which featured a radio advertisement containing a jingle with the words “we can’t be beaten”, followed by a voiceover stating “Llewellyn Holden won’t be beaten, just like a drum that’s next to a guy with no arms.”
By nature, Australians do have a go at each other, it is part of our comedy act … but has this advertisement taken it just a tad too far?
Llewellyn Holden made a statement saying they did not mean to offend, and that they advertisement was “presented in a comedic frame and not discrimination”. They believed their advertising material to be well in the guidelines of the Australian Standards Bureau, however as they meant no malice have chosen to pull the advertisements.
Has this campaign been lost in it entirety, or do you think it has gained from the extra coverage it got from the complaints made? Sure, there were a few customers offended by the content, but do you think there customers could see it how it was intended, as a joke?
When it comes to radio advertising, (or any advertising for that matter) serious thought needs to be put into the content of your marketing material. One small line could affect your brand in all the wrong ways for many years to come, while another line could boost awareness.
Corporate Sound produce high quality radio commercials, and our creative scriptwriters will work with you to devise a compelling and tasteful script to help build brand awareness and boost sales. Call us today for more information about our radio commercial service.
Professional audio productions can be anything you want from humorous to corporate and animated. With a professional audio production, you can liven up your presentation with sound effects and background music, which really helps to keep your audience engaged. That’s why so many businesses and educational institutions are investing in professional audio productions for their online learning applications.
In the past, reading was considered a sound medium to help students learn, but as we have entered the digital age, businesses are becoming much more savvy and realising that sound can much better help to convey a message than just simply reading alone; especially in this age, where many students are now opting for online study rather than face-to-face discipline.
Using a combination of sound, words and images has proven to help student better understand the concepts being explained to them online, as it appeals to all the senses, rather than the listener just reading the information, they are also hearing and seeing, which means they are more likely to understand the concept and remember it.
Professional audio will also help your training sound more professional, and a professional voice artist will be able to convey your teachings in a clear and effective manner.
Corporate Sound is one of Australia’s leading audio production agencies, and we proudly produce high quality audio for a range of mediums, including eLearning.
Contact us today and ask us how we can bring your teachings to life with a professional audio production for your eLearning applications. Call us on 07 5551 0260.
Contrary to popular belief, radio advertising has steadily grown in popularity in the last decade. And while the figures aren’t explosive, the radio is still considered a popular medium for all ages.
According to a report written by Traffic.com.au, in 2012 the average Australian listens to the radio at least 16 hours per week, with 48% of it be consumed in their own home. That is a staggering amount of radio being consumed by Australians each year. Which leads us to believe, that there is still huge potential in this arena. We certainly see on a day-to-day basis.
But the key to radio advertising is consistency and receptiveness. Unfortunately, (and this goes with most marketing campaigns) you can’t expect to run a single campaign and expect your phone to explode with enquiry – you need to be consistent and have a planned schedule for your radio commercials. For the best return, you would need you campaign to run over a considerable timeframe.
According to Traffic, the report they were referring to, indicated that radio listeners are 6 times more likely to visit the advertisers website, with 78% of them doing so within 24-hours of hearing the commercial.
However, you need to look into those statistics, and of the 16-hours we listen to the radio each week, how often are we actually ‘listening’? That’s why it is so important to ensure you have professional and effective audio productions produced, preferably by an experienced audio production company.
It is also imperative you have a good media agency or representative working for you, to help you devise and effective radio schedule that will work for you, not just cost you.
Again, the team at Corporate Sound cannot stress enough, consistency and repetitive is key in order to get the best return on your investment.
For more information about our super professional and engaging audio productions for radio commercials, please contact the experienced team at Corporate Sound on 07 5551 0260.
Google places has recently transformed; bettered itself if you like. As with most changes however, there can be a few slight hiccups. In Google’s case, the new look Google Places now also automatically creates a Google Plus account for your business … and if you already have one, and have worked on that account, you can’t merge the two – which is a little frustrating.
However, if you are a business that is yet to set up a Google Plus account, this does all the work for you.
The question on many people’s lips – should you keep the old Google+ which has all your circles and posts, or do you have to start all over again?
The short answer is to keep both and maintain one of them, with the other pointing to the other one. Let us explain …
Google Plus Linked to Google Places is Local
The Google Plus account connected to your Google Places is more of a local listing – and will show predominantly in the local searches.
For instance, if you are an audio production company based on the Gold Coast, when someone on the Gold Coast (Google picks up the IP of your computer, which helps them identify your location) or if someone types in “Audio Production Gold Coast” you have a good chance of coming up in the top listings – providing you have a verified listing on Google Places. You will also further better your chances and optimise your listing, by setting up your Google Plus linked to your Google Places.
National Google Plus Accounts
National companies, who already have a Google Plus account it is in your best interest to keep both accounts. Dress up your Google Plus account linked to your Google Places with a company profile, contact information, cover photo and profile picture, but then put a post directing your customers to your national Google Plus account – which will be more likely to show up in searches all over the country.
Unique URLs
With both accounts you can get a unique url, for instance +google.com.au/corporatesoundAustralia, however, on the Google Plus linked to your Google places you may not be able to choose, Google may pre-approve a URL based on your location (though this is not always the case)
Artwork Dimensions
Branding your Google Plus account just looks so much more professional than keeping it with the generic theme as applied by Google; plus by branding your Google+ page, you will more likely be followed by other people, which will help optimise your listing and get you higher in the rankings. To brand your Google Plus account you will need a profile pic and a cover pic. The dimensions are as follows:
If you are a business in this century, then you NEED to make sure you have some sort of online presence, and Google Places is your best chance of showing up high in the search for your local area. So how do you get started?
Google Account
You will need to have a Google Account. Simply follow the prompts – you can even use your own existing email address. Once you have signed up for Google head over to http://www.google.com.au/business/placesforbusiness/ and sign in.
Search for your Business
You will then need to accept the terms and conditions, and input your business name and address; Google will then do its best to find your listing for you. (Google will have most businesses listed on there – if yours isn’t verified, then you can take ownership of your Google Places Listing). Once Google has found your business, click on it.
If however, your business is not listed, click on the button that says “None of these match” Add your business” and put in all your contact details.
Completing your Profile
Contact Information
Make sure you include all your contact information, and ensure your URL is correct.
Category
When selecting a Category, it is important that you have at least one Category that Google recognise. For instance, if you were a wedding planner, then you would select “Events”. Unfortunately, they Google hasn’t successfully matched up all Categories with business types, so get as close to it as possible. This will greatly impact on your search efforts.
Photos
For best optimisation, you should add some photographs of your business. Your photographs will ideally be square (as this is how they are shown) and you will need to have the right to use them. It is recommended to have one with your logo as well.
Introduction
This is the area that you can really explain to searches who you are and what your offering is. It is recommended that your copy is at least 200 words. Try to use your main keywords, but don’t go over board, make sure your profile sounds natural and not spammy.
You can also include links to your website, do so with caution, too many links may be frowned upon by Google.
Verifying your Profile
Once you have filled in all the details, Google needs to verify that you really do exist, and that you are based at the location you’ve stated (otherwise businesses could simply spam multiple locations.
The main way to verify your account is to get Google to send you a PIN. This 5-Digit PIN is sent in the mail through Australia Post and it kind of looks like junk mail, so you need to really keep an eye out for it. It has a large Google logo, so you can’t miss it. You should receive this within 1-2 weeks.
Sometimes Google will give you the option to verify your profile through a phone call – to do it this way, you will need to be able to answer the phone straight away. Google will call you on the number you have supplied, and it is a recording, so it will give the number as soon as the phone is answered. This option of verification is only given to businesses who have verified their listings previously and have updated them, or who had substantial Yellow Pages advertising.
Once you have created your profile, Google then automatically sets up a Google Plus account for you – regardless of whether you have one or not. We will explain this in our next blog, so please watch this space for more information.
Corporate Sound
The team at Corporate Sound are audio production professionals, but we like to keep on top of our online marketing as well, so we are more than happy to share with you our wisdom – but please feel free to comment on your learnings also.
If you are looking to increase conversion rates for your website, then why not consider incorporating audio advertising as part as your online advertising strategy? In fact, many businesses are seeing the power of 
Is there a fine line between what is considered to be comedy and offensive advertising? Recently, Queensland car dealers, Llewellyn Holden had a radio commercial pulled from the air after it was found to be offensive.
Contrary to popular belief, radio advertising has steadily grown in popularity in the last decade. And while the figures aren’t explosive, the radio is still considered a popular medium for all ages.
Google places has recently transformed; bettered itself if you like. As with most changes however, there can be a few slight hiccups. In Google’s case, the new look Google Places now also automatically creates a Google Plus account for your business … and if you already have one, and have worked on that account, you can’t merge the two – which is a little frustrating.
If you are a business in this century, then you NEED to make sure you have some sort of online presence, and Google Places is your best chance of showing up high in the search for your local area. So how do you get started?
