By Rob Stanbridge, Vocala MD
Voice for Good
We’ve been looking at what voice can do to support brands with purpose, aiming to demonstrate that whatever the purpose, there is an opportunity to deliver a voice-activated experience to support it.
For some, brand purpose has come to mean brands that are doing something beneficial for wider society. While this isn’t appropriate or necessary for all brands, for many it has become a great way to connect with consumers about something they feel passionate about. A survey commissioned by Channel 4 found that 57% of young people believe brands should use their advertising to raise awareness of social or ethical issues.
So, as voice moves from emerging into mainstream its potential to be a force for good is becoming more and more apparent and this opens up opportunities for brands with social purpose. These are just some of the ways voice can be leveraged as a force for good.
Reducing screen time
It’s pretty universally accepted now that as a society we use smart phones too much and reducing our reliance on them is a good idea. Research has shown links between use of devices and various mental health problems and a new phenomenon of Phone Separation Anxiety has been identified. But the notion if simply reducing screen time is problematic when the use of technology is not only ubiquitous but often necessary.
Voice technology allows us to access all the benefits of a connected lifestyle without the need to be heads down and physically attached to a device. Voice users can access information, listen to music and play games all without looking at a screen, tapping or swiping. With screen time a major issue for most parents, this is an area that family and children’s brands in particular could really capitalise on.
Making social connections
Voice offers a multitude of ways to foster greater connections between families and within communities. There is the obvious advantage of easily being able to make calls and ‘drop in’ on friends and relatives. Studies, particularly amongst older people, are showing that the use of voice devices can help reduce loneliness and feelings of isolation.
2. Smart Chatbots and Virtual Assistants are Coming!
Beyond that, games, quizzes and trivia via voice offer a great way for people to connect. Not only are they fun, mostly free and easy to get started (with no need for boards or reading instructions), the beauty is that they spark conversation, promote family bonding and create lasting memories.
For families with young children the voice platform can provide a fantastic way to promote and encourage conversation. We recently designed a voice-led experience which is aimed solely at encouraging families to spend time together, to stimulate conversation and to help each other share details about their day.
We will wrap up next time with the last few examples but are keen to hear about other voice experiences and brands that bringing to life their purpose in moving away from screen time and helping people make stronger social connections.
