The Scottish Accent has long been favoured by marketeers as a ‘trustworthy’ and ‘friendly’ accent, to be used for voiceovers and advertising. With Scotland featuring so prominently in the news and on the media, will the Scottish accent lose it’s credibility as being trustworthy or will it become the accent of favour?
Of course there are a wide variety of Scottish accents and dialects, just as there are in England and Wales. The more clear, mellifluous and gentle accents are favoured by the marketeers. Watch this RBS advert. Not only are they easy to listen to and understand but they have been found to give the impression of being trustworthy. So when you watch a financial product or bank advert which is narrated by a Scottish actor, you know why! Certain accents, including the Birmingham Accent (the town of my birth) are considered dodgy – even though Jeff Lynne demonstrated how a Brummie could be a hero at yesterday’s Radio 2 Festival For a Day!
However, I am wondering if the debates on the Scottish Referendum, some of which have been quite vicious, will change people’s perception of the Scottish Accent. I am not the only person that has watched TV debates with aggressive behaviour and actions. Shouting over other people and dodging and diving to avoid answering questions is normal behaviour for Politicians but it does highlight that Scots might not be as trustworthy as the marketeers would like us to believe. I.E. They’re human like everyone else.
If Scotland does become independent, will voiceovers be recast by artistes with soft Cumbrian accents, or Welsh accents? If Scotland is no longer part of the Union, will we tolerate listening to Scottish accents or will we trust them still?
Is this the time for Scottish equity members to consider other streams of income, or do you think we don’t mind listening to a Scottish Accent, even when we’re being sold Financial Services. What you think. Do comment below!
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A really interesting point. Such a mishandled campaign. So very many important questions not even raised until the last minute. I do not know how people will make a rational decision based on the convoluted information they have been given. But I think I would still trust the lovely voice of David Tennant – but probably only because he was my favourite Dr Who!!
Thanks for commenting Jenny. I totally agree! Although Salmond et al would say that the BBC and other media has represented them unfairly….. And Yes, to David Tennant’s voice!