Few things in this world are more frustrating than sitting through a TV ad and not being able to pinpoint the narrator’s voice. The answer won’t hit you until the middle of the night, when you sit up in bed and announce, “It’s the kid from Wonder Years!” Remember these celebrity voice-overs in car commercials?
Fred Savage for Honda
Sadly, the wholesome child star never got a chance to narrate his own show. Daniel Stern had that job on The Wonder Years as the adult version of Savage’s character reminiscing about his youth. But Savage earned a great deal of goodwill as we watched his most awkward moments on the small screen. He’s a good fit for down-to-earth Honda because he doesn’t sound like a traditional spokesman. In fact, he still sounds like a child star—a big swing from the voice of previous Honda ads, the raspy Burgess Meredith (may he rest in peace).
Chris Pine for BMW
The blue-eyed movie star isn’t too tough to look at, but his smooth voice can make your heart skip a beat, too. He’s also voiced characters like Jack Frost and Peter Parker, so he won’t have to rely on his pretty face any longer than he wants to. Pine manages to sound classy without being stuffy and somehow injects a smirk into all his lines.
Jon Hamm for Mercedes
On Mad Men, Hamm presented a fantasy exterior: the confident swagger of a man who has reached the top and is relishing all the rewards. That characterization didn’t exactly prove to be accurate, but it’s a match with Mercedes’ target demographic. Luxury car buyers appreciate the finer things, insist on the best, and want recognition for their successes. Surprisingly, Hamm is getting more recognition these days for his comedic work – SMH.
Will Arnett for GMC
The Arrested Development star has a rock-bottom voice that would probably seem more authoritative if we’d never seen him doing the chicken dance on the show. As the narrator for GMC trucks, Arnett’s deep tones also encapsulate the pure joy of driving. “It’s not more than you need—just more than you’re used to,” he says, and car enthusiasts concur.
Paul Rudd for Hyundai
Celebrity voice-overs in car commercials don’t require movie-star looks TBH, but Paul Rudd’s got them. He just never takes them seriously, which makes him unbelievably likable. When Hyundai snapped up Rudd in 2014 to tout its cars, they announced, “We were looking for a voice that could be recognizable and relatable to a new generation of car buyers.” They got lucky: Rudd also appeals to a new generation of comic-book fans with his role as Ant-Man.
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