Rivka Rothstein’s Role
in Lerma’s Campaign Success
Lerma Ad Agency’s Success Story with Rivka Rothstein
Lerma, a prominent advertising agency, specializes in creating compelling ads across various media platforms, from TV campaigns to radio spots.
In their pursuit of exceptional voice over talent, they have collaborated with Rivka Rothstein on multiple projects, including a Western Union TV spot and radio campaigns for the Salvation Army.
This case study explores the exceptional qualities that make Rivka stand out in the voiceover industry and the positive impact she’s had on Lerma's ad campaigns.
Background:
As a creative director at Lerma, Katie leads a team responsible for conceptualizing and producing ads. When the need for a voiceover talent arises, the team works with a casting director to sift through numerous auditions. It was during one such casting call that Rivka's talent first caught their attention.
Katie Bernet
Creative Director at
Lerma Ad Agency
The Voice That Resonates:
Introduction:
Hear from Katie:
“Typically, how it works on our end is that we'll collaborate with a casting director who conducts a casting call. As creatives, we then receive a folder full of auditions. That's where we start selecting who we might work with.
A funny story from the first time we worked with Rivka: I actually knew her from college, but I didn’t make the connection at first. I picked her purely based on her performance, without any bias.
Ultimately, it comes down to who performs best in the auditions. Sometimes, it can be hard to stand out when we receive a link with 50 to 100 auditions. Voice over artists often provide a couple of different takes on the script, showcasing their range. I remember Rivka doing that, and it really helped us see her versatility.
Interestingly enough, for our next project, another team member who had no knowledge of our previous work with Rivka also selected her from a batch of auditions. This reinforced her ability to stand out in what can be a slush pile of submissions.
Rivka has a great voice that cuts through the clutter and provides different approaches to the script, which is not as common as one might think.”
She was simply the best. It wasn’t until later in the process that I realized, "Oh my gosh, I know her!" It was a funny revelation.
Talent Isn’t Everything
Selecting the right voiceover talent from a large pool of candidates can be challenging, according to Katie. Voiceover artists must not only have a great voice but also have to demonstrate versatility, the ability to take direction, and maintain a professional demeanor. Standing out in a competitive field requires more than just vocal ability; it requires a unique approach and a compelling presence.
The Challenge of Selecting The Right Voice:
Rivka’s auditions consistently stood out to our team for several reasons:
“Rivka provided multiple takes for each script, showcasing her range and ability to adapt her performance.”
“Rivka provided multiple takes for each script, showcasing her range and ability to adapt her performance.”
“Rivka responded well to direction, easily adjusting her tone and delivery to meet the creative vision.”
“Her easy-going personality, receptiveness to feedback, and flexibility made her a pleasure to work with.”
Preparation:
Versatility:
Directability:
Professionalism:
On Rivka’s First Audition With Lerma
“Sometimes it can be hard to stand out in auditions because I'll get a link with demos from 50 to 100 people on it. It’s a lot! Some voiceover artists will provide multiple takes for the script, showing their range and versatility. I remember her doing that.”
Katie Bernet's Thoughts:
In addition to enjoying the benefits of Rivka’s talent, she is also incredibly easy to work with as a performer.
“Working with Rivka is incredibly easy. My team shows up on the day of the recording, and she's already there, prepared and ready to go. As copywriters, we direct her, giving her thoughts on tone and feeling, and she nails it every time. She’s always prepared ahead of time, which is not the norm. She walks in having read the script already and has thought about how she’s going to perform it, which is great. Often, on our end, we think we've got it; we've gotten the take that we want. But she listens back and says, "No, you know what, I think I can do it better." She has suggestions, which is pretty cool because a lot of times the talent just goes with what you want and doesn’t speak up or provide ideas. But she’s happy to offer ideas when invited!"
Katie notes:
Rivka’s ability to take direction is exceptional.
Rivka’s work has also generated consistent internal feedback from advertising teams who work with Lerma.
“A good contrast to her is that I've worked with people where you say, okay, could you do that a little brighter or maybe like a little more energetic or, you know, something like that. And then you get the same thing back. With her, if you give her feedback, she actually is able to change her tone and her voice and her approach to the performance. That’s not always a guarantee in this industry!”
“Once we have a performance locked and put it to picture, we need to share it with various teams, including strategy, brand leadership, and our clients, who often have many layers of approval. With Rivka, we've never received feedback suggesting the voice over should be different or stronger. That kind of feedback does happen with other talents, leading us to go back to the drawing board. But with her, we haven't had that issue. She consistently gets through all the rounds of approvals that we need.”