Identify the PURPOSE of the spot: What is the new promotion and the USP? And what is the problem being solved by the product?
A product or service’s USP is its unique-selling proposition, or a feature/perceived benefit that sets it apart from similar products and services. Every commercial spot, or campaign of spots, has a goal of persuading the listener to choose this particular product over competitors, so you want to identify the exact promotion that this spot is selling. Is it a lower price, a free gift included, a free trial, etc. You want to make sure to drive to and vocally highlight the actual “sell” of the spot, after the lead-in (usually a setting of a scene, a cheeky dialogue between characters, or an introduction of a problem). As any useful product or service is a “simple solution to a complex problem,” most spots will present a problem, and then offer the product as a solution. Make sure you identify the specific problem and solution (question and answer). Identifying the purpose of the spot will help you to make decisions on tone and pace.
Identify the SPIRIT of the message: How does this spot make the listener feel?
What type of language is used, and what mood does it establish? Is the spot informational, entertaining/humorous, motivating? Identify the Spirit/Mood of the spot as it will inform your decisions on tone and pace, and act as a North Star for other decisions on style of delivery.
Based on the mood established by the language used, pick the VOCAL TONE: Should this have a brighter or a darker vocal tone?
Most commercials will have a brighter vocal tone (achieved by talking with a smile). This adds a welcoming/inviting feel, a subconscious signal to the listener to trust the speaker/VO, as well as associate happiness and good feelings with the product/service. Uses for a darker tone (no smile) could be for straightforward or matter-of-fact statements, serious subject-matter, or for aspirational and anthemic-style spots. You’ll also have use of both in many spots. For example, using a darker tone when talking about the perceived problem that a customer may have, and then a brighter tone when you are presenting the solution that the product or service provides.
Pick the PACE: What speed and tempo will match the desired Spirit of the spot?
Pace can convey the overall mood, the emotional state of the speaker, and can affect clarity of ideas. Often, a quicker rate-of-speech can convey excitement and enthusiasm, and a slower, steadier pace can convey a stressing of importance or a methodical approach. Of course there is quite a spectrum of pace that varies from actor to actor, spot to spot, and moment to moment. Finding the right fit for a spot is a balance between being slow enough for clarity and understanding, and fast enough to mimic real, conversational speech (so that it feels fresh and spontaneous and will hold the audience’s attention).
Vocally show 3-PART BUILDS and ANTITHESIS (COMPARE/CONTRAST): Where are they, and am I changing my vocal tone and pitch to connect the ideas together, as well as build on them?
I mark any 3-part builds with little “1s, 2s, and 3s” in the script to remind me to build or stack each idea on the last, gaining in importance/intensity. Since our distance from the microphone should stay fairly consistent, and we don’t want to spike the waveform of the recording, highlighting builds with an ascending or descending pitch is an ideal substitution for increasing in volume. The same goes for antithesis and comparing or contrasting two items/ideas against one another. A change in elevation of pitch ties the ideas together, but also differentiates them. I mark Antithesis with an “A and B,” which reminds me to weigh one versus the other, like on a scale.
Highlight PRODUCT/COMPANY NAME AND TAGLINE: Am I making the product name stand out?
Usually, you’ll want to make sure your tone is even brighter (with a smile) and possibly warmer and welcoming in texture every time you say the product or company name. Again, helping to associate them with trust, happiness, and good feelings.
Highlight DIFFERENTIATORS: Are there any clarifying/modifying adverbs and adjectives?
This goes back to the promotion and the USP. Is this the “biggest, fastest, greatest, smartest, class-leading” product? Any words that accent the USP, what makes this product/service better than competitors, should be highlighted, vocally.
Show STORY ARC: Am I clearly denoting beginnings, middles, and ends of thoughts/story arcs with vocal inflection and pace?
Make sure to use downward inflection to show the conclusion of thoughts (most important at the end of the entire spot). Also, vary your pace to affect builds in excitement, and a slowing of pace to prepare the audience’s ear for the end of the spot (usually a restating of the product and a tagline).