American vs. British voiceovers

While there are many English accents around the world, British and American accents are the most common. And in fact, there is a lot of controversy about which accent is better. Of course, this is not unconnected to speech. So, which are better, American or British voiceovers?

A matter of preference

Choosing the ideal voice and accent is really a matter of preference. Some people prefer an American accent, while others prefer a British accent. As they say… “there’s no such thing as a bad taste”.

However, when it comes to the use of phrases, British English offers some advantages over the American accent. Here are some of them.

Some advantages

British voiceovers are understood by native and non-native English speakers

British English is English at its purest. It is the “original English”, a cleaner, more standardised version. Of course, there are various British accents, but there are also American accents. So in this sense there is not a very marked difference. The real differences between British and American English lie in grammar, vocabulary and spelling. In fact, English speakers can communicate easily regardless of their accent.

On the other hand, there are many non-native English speakers who understand the English accent perfectly well. This is partly due to the contributions of modern culture to the spread of the English language, as in the case of the Harry Potter books.

British voiceovers are considered exotic

Many companies use American voice overs. Therefore, they are quite common, almost generic. This makes British voiceovers more appealing. Using a British voice will make you stand out from your competition. It will also make your advertising sound more exotic, distinguished and even easier to remember. Use a British voice over talent and you will see your brand start to gain recognition.

British voiceovers sound “classy”.

There is something about British voiceovers that makes them sound more elegant, sophisticated. Many people associate a British accent with intelligence. Something that is based on stereotypes and mere social psychology. You can exploit these stereotypes to highlight your advertising. Make people believe that they will be more intelligent and sophisticated if they buy your product. Make them relate the British voice over actor to, why not, Queen Elizabeth II; one of the most important and glamorous people in the world!

This is especially useful in the case of luxury products. For example, imagine you are promoting the new Louis Vuitton collection – which sounds more appealing: an American or a British voice over?

British accent is sexier than American accent…. according to a study

Not to exaggerate, but the British accent is considered one of the sexiest accents in the world and this study proves it!

According to this study on perceptions of accents, the British accent is the most popular accent abroad. Respondents described British male and female voices as sophisticated, stylish and professional. In addition, they said they enjoy listening to other languages with a British accent.

This gives you more opportunities, as you can offer British voiceovers in other languages and still capture the attention of clients. You just need to find a professional British voice over talent who speaks several languages, like Paul Urwin, and make a fortune out of it.

More than an accent…

British voiceovers are not just about accent, they are about talent. Professional British voiceovers use the right tone, rhythm and voice. You can opt for a male British voice actor or a female British voice actor. The choice is yours. But keep in mind that it is important that the British voice over talent has extensive voice over experience and knows how to use his or her voice to bring the script to life. In addition, good voice over and audio editing equipment will also help you to get better audio quality.

Paul Urwin, the British Voiceover Man

So don’t wait any longer. If you’re ready to bring your British voiceovers to life, Paul Urwin is the voiceover actor you’re looking for. Paul has over 15 years of voiceover experience, his own recording studio and an extensive portfolio of clients – become one now!