Anyone else noticed....

Has anyone else besides me noticed how so many American adverts have been dubbed into the British accent?  The Glade plug-in commercials are the ones that get me the most.  Then there was a Continental tire advert that was CLEARLY made in the States, but they flipped the screen at the end shot so that the guy was on the right side of the car.  Earlier in the clip you can see that he's obviously on the left-hand side.  Even the President Brie commercial uses an American accent, but it looks like it's been dubbed over as well.  What's the point?  Is it THAT much of a put-off to the Britts that an advert is in US English?

To be fair, there are quite a few European adverts with dubbed voices airing in the US.

It works both ways.

To be fair, there are quite a few European adverts with dubbed voices airing in the US.

It works both ways.

I'm sure you're right but I've never noticed. Examples?

2 reasons

1. Watch The History Channel & Discovery and you'll spot English voiceovers for programmes. Most amazing was for one on The Founding Fathers. A friend in the US sent me it before it was shown here and the script is different! But it's also down to regulations on the amount of foreign programming they can show.
2. And this is probably more the case for adverts, they want a voiceover to get people to buy the product, people will feel more comfortable with a local accent.

 

I'm sure you're right but I've never noticed. Examples?

Mentos are the worst offenders! I've noticed some toothpaste and face cream/wash commercials that do it to.

I don't watch television anymore so couldn't begin to guess about anything they do anymore.....I am a gamer grandma and play mmorpg's....much more exciting   

There are loads of foreign language adverts that are dubbed into English so they can be shown here in the UK (and in the US too, I would imagine), so I don't really see it being any different to dubbing US adverts with English voiceovers or vice versa - I would guess that having a certain type of accent advertising a product would have an influence on the sales in each country.

1. Watch The History Channel & Discovery and you'll spot English voiceovers for programmes. Most amazing was for one on The Founding Fathers. A friend in the US sent me it before it was shown here and the script is different! But it's also down to regulations on the amount of foreign programming they can show.

Same going the other way - when I was in the US last month, I watched an episode of Planet Earth and was disappointed to find that David Attenborough had been dubbed over by Signourney Weaver (and the script was different)! According to Wikipedia, Signourney's voice was used because "it was thought her familiarity to American audiences would attract more viewers".

But it's also down to regulations on the amount of foreign programming they can show.

Can you show what this regulation is?  Not to be obnoxious, but I am interested in what channels are covered and how it applies to channels where the output is 100% foreign.  And when you look at things like Comedy Central where 99% of the output is American, how do they swing it when Discovery documentaries can't...  Or is it just "informational" telly?

Same going the other way - when I was in the US last month, I watched an episode of Planet Earth and was disappointed to find that David Attenborough had been dubbed over by Signourney Weaver (and the script was different)! According to Wikipedia, Signourney's voice was used because "it was thought her familiarity to American audiences would attract more viewers".

I was so disappointed about this.  I have nothing against Sigourney Weaver, but I LOVE David Attenborough.  He's a legend.  I know why they did it, but I couldn't get over it.  I ended up buying the box set with David Attenborough narrating :-)

Oh this makes me laugh!

This is somewhat related to the topic. Have you all seen when they actually use subtitles on some of the discovery channel, history channel (and more) have folks speaking?? These will generally be folks from the south.

I have taken a picture and sent it to friends in the US-cracked them up!