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Copy in "first person"

G

Gregg Rivers

I was just wondering how you all felt about doing copy in first person. I'll tell you that I do NOT, for couple of reasons. The first of which is I don't own or work for the company I’m doing the voice over for. On a local level, my voice is easily identifiable to ME and my stations! I’m under contract and first person seems to be an endorsement without compensation. I've been in this area on the air for 20 years. So I make it a point to change the person in all the copy to third person. I can remember only a few times over the years that either a sales rep or a client ever had a problem with that. My response was, I work for W*** radio. So when I say "we" or "us" it has to be about the station(s). “WE” sell radio. Paid endorsements or ok for first person if the spot calls for it. But really, I believe saying “we” or “us“ is a missed opportunity to put the client’s name in the spot. Branding! It works!
There are a couple of exceptions. One is if it's an agency spot tag that is a well known slogan like; "you have questions. We have answers." Or "I’m lovin' it" It's hard to get around that one! Secondly, if I’m doing a character voice that is different from my regular speaking voice, that’s ok. The other is if its spots that I do for out of market clients on my own. Then I'm being paid (I have a little editing setup at home) and I feel I'm the spokes person in that situation.
I was just curious how the rest of you deal with that situation at your stations.
 
I hear ya, brotha. And I agree with every point you made. I hate first person copy because it always sounds like an endorsement, and I dont do endorsements unless I'm paid to. (Not that I've ever been paid for an endorsement, I'm just sayin'...)
 
I dislike first-person copy as well, and I'm not afraid to change agency tags and such that are written in first-person. But what really makes no sense is agency-written copy that switches from first-person to third-person pronouns and back. I see it all the time.
 
I allow NO first-person copy unless off-air talent is available (sales, support, interns). As a corollary, no "here" or "come". It's "there" and "go".
 
I produce for an 8 station group, and we automatically change all copy not written by our CSD to third person, replacing "we" with "they" and so forth. Unless I'm being payed to endorse the product/service.

Larson
 
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