My “friends” at US Airways lost my luggage making my trip a bit more inconvenient than it needed to be (although to be fair the ground staff at US Airways GSP- who had to deal with the outcome caused by the baggage dolts’ who did the losing of the bag - were nice, especially Chad). But the trip has otherwise been terrific including a nice dinner Wednesday in North Carolina with my friend and the man beloved by all voice talents Bob Souer, who brought along his very bright and charming son.

He and I plotted our individual world tour travels to personally meet every voice talent in the world, lull them into a state of complacency and then steal all their voice work. Bwahahahaha! (That, by the way, is the correct spelling for “evil laugh”).

Of course I’m kidding but he and I have been able to meet so many of our fellow VO’s over the past few years, we both feel very fortunate.

While we could have spoke for hours, Bob had some narrations to do and I had luggage to find but we’ll get together for a late lunch today before heading home. Another successful trip.

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Tags: commentary, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover meet-ups // 5 Comments »

I am such a computer dolt that I firmly believe that when God created the computer repair man He used a picture of me as the ideal cash cow, er, customer in the training.

But because as I get older I not only realize how much I don’t know but also how many of my peers are also faking it, I am more willing to share my shortcomings. That’s because I’m pretty sure you’re a dolt as well but you just hide it better.

With all this in mind, I share with you an article from the Lifehacker blog that helps provide you will simple steps to cut down on the time it takes for your computer to boot up.

At one time I think I knew some of this stuff but I know between kids and work this stuff just seeped out of my ears.

For a few of you, this info will be way too rudimentary. But for most of us, enjoy the speedier start to you day.

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Tags: commentary, technology // 4 Comments »

I never met Howard Reig, the former announcer for NBC and specifically NBC Nightly News but his great service and the retirement of his voice was well covered on these pages. And as a fellow voice talent, I consider him a friend of sorts.

So it is with a heavy heart that I note the passing of my friend Howard at age 87 at his home in Venice Florida.

I’ve noted before how difficult it was to replace him as an announcer and I am sure that same sentiment is now felt by his family, magnified to infinity. I am so sorry for their loss.

NBC News’ Brett Holey wrote this tribute to Howard in 2007 and it is wonderful. Here is a wonderful tribute site Howard’s son created for his Father.

Requiescant in Pax, sir. I was a fan.

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Tags: NBC News, NBC Nightly News, commentary // Add Comment »

Usually I’ve not subscribed to the theory that if all the other kids are doing it, I should be doing it too.

As examples I never smoked, drank or did drugs. I’m not better than anyone who does those things (although I think its a rare case where I may be considered smarter) but I just never felt the need to fit in socially with such crutches. My obnoxious personality has always seen me through.

But lately as I have been studying Twitter, I did develop a case of wallpaper envy. You see for some reason (and for the life of me I cannot figure out why this happened) I clicked on CC Chapman’s Twitter home page and saw his very attractive wallpaper that he obviously created (you have to sign in to see it).

It occurred to me that this might be yet another example of a fad or trend that I had been completely oblivious to so I checked Chris Brogan’s, Leesa Barnes’ and Christopher S. Penn’s pages.

Yup, fancy, cool, well branded wallpapers on all of them.

I was yet again late for lunch; I had missed the bus, I was an east coaster working on Central time. Action had to be taken.

Well I slogged through about 20 me-made designs that technically and artistically looked like crap (clearly all the aforementioned have Macs) before I yelled “uncle” and called Ann Hackett over at aHa designs to bail me out of my pathetic state. She did.

OK, so I’m “me too” on this one. But doesn’t the page look subtle and smashing? Why, it’s Twitterific!

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Tags: advertising, branding, commentary, marketing, social media, social networking, twitter // 1 Comment »

Now I will grant you that even I, your humble author and blatant swag aficionado, find suspect a glowing report about the value of advertising specialties that was released by (and - in only my opinion - likely also commissioned by) the Advertising Specialty Institute. I am as skeptical as the next solopreneur (tip of the hat to Leesa Barnes for my word of the day).

None the less, I think many small businesses would raise an eyebrow to learn that promotional products generate a cost-per-impression average of $0.004, compared to $.033 for national magazine ads or $0.019 for prime time TV ads. If those numbers are real, that means something because the cost of delivering an ad specialty is individually and collectively less expensive than most other media. This report claims now it is also more effective in impressions.

The challenge, as one who has created a few of these items (and by few I mean a few thousand over my career) is to find items that will be memorable or wearable or most importantly desirable in the eyes of your target or prospective market.

Sure, your father-in-law wants a logoed baseball cap and maybe your wife (like mine) enjoys the oversized coffee mug. But what about a digital media producer who creates sales and marketing videos for global corporations? Does a logoed pen make you a more valuable vendor? If he needs a pen at the exact moment of delivery, one would have to say yes.

Anyway, as you begin to plot your 2009 marketing plan (you ARE plotting it, aren’t you?) you might find in a down economy that giving someone in business even a small gift may go a lot further in building a relationship than it might have even one year ago.

I’ve got no white-paper-scientific-survey-type data on it. Just a good old hunch, for whatever that’s worth.

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Tags: commentary // Comments Off

BUFFALO, New York, November 11, 2008 - - When El Centro, California-based Southwest Dental Group needed to create a new, multi-spot radio advertising campaign, they chose audio’connell Voice Over Talent to brighten their on air image.

AUDIO SAMPLE

Produced and voiced by audio’connell Voice Over Talent president Peter K. O’Connell and featuring a number of the voice over company’s premiere female voice talents, the spots promote the professional dental team’s complete range of state-of-the-art services while ensuring patients feel comfortable and at ease within Southwest Dental Group’s beautifully appointed dental facility.

A professional voice over talent and audio producer for over 25 years, Peter O’Connell is president of audio’connell Voice Over Talent, a worldwide, English language-based voice talent organization. Mr. O’Connell also operates International Voice Talents, a company featuring professional foreign language male and female voice actors.

Both companies provide voice talent for commercials, animation, corporate narrations, documentaries, broadcast voice imaging, audio books, podcasts and messaging on-hold (MOH). Industries served by the two companies include advertising agencies, media and broadcast production companies as well as both large and small businesses around the world.

Mr. O’Connell also owns Voice Over Workshop, which provides professional voice over training to novice and experienced voice talent around the world.

audio’connell Voice Over Talent, International Voice Talents and Voice Over Workshop are all a part of O’Connell Companies.
- 30 -

► NOTES TO EDITORS

Company Name Pronunciation:
au•dio•o’•con•nell (awe-de-oh-oh-kah-nel) or au•di-o’•con•nell (awe-de-oh-kah-nel)

Company Name Spelling:
Use lower case letters- audio’connell or audio’connell Voice Over Talent

Company Web:
http://www.audioconnell.com
http://www.internationalvoicetalents.com
http://www.voworkshop.com

Company Blog:
http://www.voxmarketising.com

Corporate Web:
http://www.oconnellcompanies.com

Social Media Connections:
Linked In
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Naymz

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Tags: commentary // Add Comment »