Recently, I started kicking around the notion that my marketing efforts just aren't working. God knows I've spent a fortune creating and promoting myself as the Big Gun. The notion that came from the fact that I've been doing advertising, marketing and voice work for over 20 years. I mean the logo was created by the same Hollywood design and movie poster company that created the graphics and movie posters for everything from Billy Elliot to Sideways to The Wrestler, not to mention the Raiders of the Lost Ark franchise. There was the photo shoot in LA, the travel, the website design, the business cards, letter head...on and on.
The logo was carefully designed with the Neuman 416 Shotgun microphone. Get it Shotgun Microphone. The actual gun I am holding is the real prop gun from the 1972 Dirty Harry Movie. The same one Clint Eastwood gripped oh so many years ago. 
something based off the RCA Victor franchise? After all, that was the name I was called, or should I say relentlessly chided by in grade school.
Then, because I'm not getting the work I think I should be getting, or the agents I believe I
should be working with, I start second guessing myself. Is it me? Is it my voice? Is it the economy? Hmmmmm it must be my logo. Yeah, that's gotta be it. I know, I'll start from scratch by pulling what I call a "Madonna". After all, she's the queen of reinvention and it works!
So, I started kicking around some new branding ideas. My last name is Victor, so I should go with
something based off the RCA Victor franchise? After all, that was the name I was called, or should I say relentlessly chided by in grade school.Yeah great. I'll go with that. Besides, I can always use another law suit to give me something to do. So how do I make it my own...I know, I'll throw my trademark hair on the dog that should
change it up. Make it interesting and all. Yeah, that's the ticket and throw some sun glasses on the dog to show how really cool the dog is.
After I paid off the artist I realized what a stupid idea this was. So it was back to the drawing board. Then I thought, why not just go with my name - Ed Victor. Sounds like a great voice over name anyway.
Yeah let me try that.
But like all voice over people this new graphic designer threw the dreaded microphone in. The Microphone is the universal symbol of HE MUST BE A VOICE ACTOR! Right? The name looks fine but another microphone graphic...how pedestrian.
Now here's another idea speaking of microphones. Why not take my trademark hair. One of my most recognizable attributes and throw it on a microphone. I mean shit, it's the best of both worlds right? My hair on a microphone!!! Brilliant.
Yeah...until you see it. Looks like a Mr. Potato Head sort of thing, Or one of those M & M characters. Or a Weeble on a stick. It just doesn't work. Maybe I should change my name to Harry Mike. Yeah, Harold Harry Mike. Chances are Neuman will sue me for infringing on their fucking microphone design. And like I said earlier, just what I need another law suit to pass the time of day with. So, after all is said and done, I think I'll stick with my original logo. The Big Gun. Unless someone else can come up with something better. This is my friends is my Identity Crisis.
Dear Ed -
ReplyDelete*LOL* I love the hairy microphone... Mr.Potato Head, indeed. Hey, at least you HAVE a logo!
I've been doing voiceover for 20+ years as well, and understand what you're feeling...I've been toying with my own identity crisis recently.
Not to get all woo-woo on you, but if you give any credence to astrology, the following might explain our restlessness.
"Currently, the planets Saturn and Uranus (no jokes, please) are in opposition. This push-pull between the two can be extremely challenging; after all, they seem to represent polar-opposite energies. Saturn upholds rules and limits - promoting the status quo and all that has come before. Uranus, on the other hand, represents the revolutionary desire to upturn that which is accepted, in hopes to find a solution that promotes evolution.
Simply said, with Saturn and Uranus, we have Same vs Change. We may feel like we are on a see-saw - one minute wanting to "just throw it all away" and start fresh, while the next minute, holding on for dear life to all that we have created."
Courtesy of www.planetaryapothecary.com.
In the meantime, have you thought about revamping the Victor Victoria logo? (www.impawards.com/1982/victor_victoria.html)
I mean it does have an image of a mouth, (not quite as dreaded as the "microphone"), but I think you could work it into something good. :-)
In solidarity with your angst,
Linda Bard
Hi Ed!
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you're talking about. I've been doing voice work (in Finnish, since that's my language... here in Finland, of course) for 20 years now and 3 years ago I gave up everything else to give this career my full focus. Most of the time it's been very promising but there are times when I almost lose faith
Other than voice and sound production, I've had a career in advertising agencies as a copywriter. Compared to those long and tedious projects where the same ****ing lime stone dust brochures landed on my desk over and over again ('I think that the copy really needs more, you know, try to make the lime stone more groovy or something') voice work happens right now! A mail comes with the script, you discuss and agree on the budget, some breafing for the delivery. Into the booth, edit the file and send. That's it.
Then all of a sudden there are no calls, no mails, no nothing for a couple of weeks. What did I do wrong? How can I have pissed all my clients off in one go? Did I say something wrong? Is it the clothes I wear? Is there some foul rumour about me going around? Or is it just an international conspiracy against me? Then, for no apparent reason, it can change again and suddenly there are not enough hours in the clock to do everything. There's just no way of knowing.
I don't have a proper logo because nothing's good enough for me. God forbid I don't want another microphone in mine, because I know there's no way I can find a creative way to do it, the way you've got it. Branding is a seriously difficult thing, but once you go that road, you definitely should keep your head about your choices. So, keep the Big Gun thing going! I still have my own path to find.
Take care!
Jukka