Today I encountered a lot of talk about AI, from listening to a podcast about commercial creation, to reaching out to a potential client who warned me, their company is using AI voiceover right now. The impact of AI voiceover on a brand could be detrimental.
It’s cheap, right? With budgets being slashed, it seems like a great alternative to hiring a human voice.
What is the Real Cost of Using AI Voiceover
Potentially, it’s a very HIGH cost.
Recent data paints a clear picture of why human voices in media matter so much. According to Audacy’s Innovation Tracker (June 2024), people are more likely to trust a human voice. Specifically, more than twice as likely to trust a human voice (55%) over AI-generated content (23%).
Here are some stats from a recent Sprout Social article:
🥰 64% of consumers say their loyalty to a brand increases when they feel connected.
🥰 76% of consumers say they would buy from a brand they feel connected to over a competitor’s brand.
🥰 57% say they are more likely to increase how much they spend with a brand when they feel connected.
🚫 When consumers don’t feel connected to a brand, 70% are less likely to shop there over a competitor’s business, and 61% will spend less with that business.
Voiceover isn’t just a medium for delivering information. It’s part of your brand’s identity – what listeners remember long after the ad is over.
AI Voiceover Can Impact Brands Negatively
AI voiceover will impact your brand, and not in the best way.
In the words of Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Let that sink in, and think about the relationships you’re building with humans.
Even the Former Starbucks CEO Understands Human Connection
This post by Howard Schultz, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Starbucks, hits the nail on the head. Don’t play chicken with your customer base by thinking you’re going to save a few bucks using AI voiceover or other AI creative features. It’s going to cost you.
Here’s a excerpt from the post:
I remember vividly the advice I got from Jim Sinegal, the legendary founder and ceo of Costco as we were navigating the financial crisis of 2008,
“Howard, the cost of losing your core customers and trying to get them back during a down economy will be much greater than the cost of acquiring new customers.”
Jim’s sage gift became a core principle for us during that time of crisis, helping us emerge stronger as the headwinds died down.
Today, I see Starbucks ceo Brian Niccol’s bet on human connection and “getting back to Starbucks” as a spot on approach.
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