Commercial Voice Overs

In this day and time, it’s harder and harder to “cut through” all the noise. There’s constantly something fighting for our attention across multiple devices and platforms. A commercial these days needs great creative and a voice that CONNECTS. You need a voice talent that sounds like they’re talking to one person. You need a voice talent that is authentic. You need someone who doesn’t sound like they’re selling you something. You need someone who sounds like they’re a friend telling you about something they love.

This is something I learned before I was even a professional voice over talent. It started at my first radio job in Chattanooga. I was doing evenings at a small station as well as a promotions job. The evening shift was voice tracked. After my first week on air, my program director pulled me aside and said, “Heidi, it sounds like you’re talking AT your audience not TO your audience.” He had me print off a picture of a good friend and tape it to the board during my next tracking. He said, “I want you to talk to your friend for each break. Share the liner like you would say it to her.” It took a little getting used to but after less than a week, I didn’t need to tape her picture to the board (plus…it did get a little creepy having a friend just staring back at you). It made all the difference in the world.

This “trick” helped me land some huge endorsement deals when I was on air in Atlanta. I was able to not only talk about their product but craft their “selling points” into copy that felt like a friend sharing something they love.

Today, I’ve grown a ton in my voiceover career (that has spanned over a decade) but this principle is still one I practice all the time.

I love commercials – the creative, the music, the copy, the everything. Are you a commercial writer? Ad agency? Want to just chat about commercial creative? I’m down.
When I was 5 years old, my mom caught me creating a commercial about Soap Scrub. I had climbed on the counter (because…ya know…I was 5) so I could talk to my “audience” about Soap Scrub. Then there was the time an entire warehouse club sized jar of pickles busted on our kitchen floor because I had this “brilliant” idea for a pickle commercial and I needed product. My poor parents.

Obviously it’s no surprise that my career path has landed me voicing national and regional commercials for companies like Jiffy Lube, Build A Bear, Belk, Coke, Subway, Baby Einstein, KIA and more. I love every minute of it.

The obvious answer is voice your TV commercial, radio commercial or internet/digital commercial but there are a few other ways that I could contribute.

I’ve got an improv background and even performed with a group in Atlanta for awhile. I also did a beginner stand-up comedy class which was scary as anything but I ended up LOVING it (if you want to hear about how I first learned about RUN DMC, our DIY IVF and homeschool day at Six Flags, you can see the short routine HERE. It helped me think more intentionally about writing and gave me a way to test out setting up jokes and stories. I’d love to do it again but don’t expect to see me on a stand-up tour any time soon. I’m also an on-camera actor and have been trained in the Meisner method.

Recording-wise, I have a home studio and co-own Atlanta Voiceover Studio so you can be assured your voice over will be delivered at the right levels, it will sound great, edited – if needed/requested and I can patch you in via a phone patch or source connect. Depending on the length of your project, most delivery times can be done in 24 hours.

If you haven’t discovered already, I’m a female voice talent. But if your project needs a male voice talent, my husband Mike Stoudt is one. Boom.

The reason why my website says, “Wholeheartedly Heidi Rew” is because that’s one of the things I hear most when people hear my voice. They say, “Your voice has heart.” I do truly care about others, this world, you and I think it comes across in my voice…at least that’s what people say. More than just heart, I typically book a lot of friendly, upbeat, conversational, millennial, natural, warm, kind reads. I do authoritative and professional as well but the majority of what I book is the previous.

I look forward to working with you if you’re in need of a female voice talent. To hire me for your voice over, you can contact any of my agents listed (find the one nearest you) or you can email me using the form below.