{"id":23218,"date":"2022-05-15T11:54:13","date_gmt":"2022-05-15T18:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voice123.com\/blog\/?p=23218"},"modified":"2023-02-14T00:58:36","modified_gmt":"2023-02-14T08:58:36","slug":"halo-how-to-best-expand-your-brand-like-the-franchise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voice123.com\/blog\/marketing-trends-tactics\/halo-how-to-best-expand-your-brand-like-the-franchise\/","title":{"rendered":"Halo: how to best expand your brand like the franchise!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ever wonder what you’d get if you crossed Clint Eastwood with Robocop? Odds are a gunslinging supersoldier that looks like Master Chief Petty Officer John-117<\/strong>. The Halo brand mascot was made real by Steve Downes<\/a>, the master chief voice actor. Now you’re probably wondering, a video game franchise?<\/em> A monosyllable soldier in shining armor?<\/em> How can something that sounds like a comic book character help my brand?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer is that Halo is one of the highest-grossing media franchises<\/a>. But, the common thread across its twenty-year lifespan is brand longevity. And although Halo started in the gaming industry, it evolved to become less dependent on its core gaming revenue. So here’s the best guidance, tips, and practices from the expanding Halo franchise to benefit brands of all shapes and sizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Halo<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Halo is a franchise built on military science fiction. It was first launched as a first-person shooter game in 2001, exclusively for Microsoft’s Xbox video game console<\/a>. Halo’s storytelling universe is rooted in a unique alien culture. Spartans <\/strong>(supersoldiers wearing enhanced armor) fighting to contain the Covenant<\/strong> (an alien alliance). But the franchise rotates around two pivotal figures: Master Chief<\/a> and his AI sidekick Cortana<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story hones in on this speak-when-necessary<\/em> hero with a brilliant foil. A witty, sometimes sarcastic woman inside his head. They’re partly why the latest game version Halo Infinite gained 20 million players<\/a> since its launch. So who are the Halo voice actors that epitomize these heroic characters? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who are the Halo voice actors<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most Halo voice actors have been with the brand since its launch. And their voices have become synonymous with their characters in various brand adaptations. Here are the voice actors of the 3 lead characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is the Master Chief voice actor<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Halo
Image: Paramount<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Master Chief voice actor is Steve Downes<\/a>, and it’s his vocal talent that brought the towering soldier front and center for the franchise from just a character sketch. The primary focus was to portray the Chief as a Clint Eastwood<\/a>\u2013type soldier, a man of few words and intense action. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And though the Master Chief never removes his armor in the games, he’s not exactly faceless. He wears a distinctive gold visor and has a wry sense of humor. So the talented master chief voice actor had to balance a deadpan tone with occasional raw emotion to capture the heart of a seasoned soldier. Was he successful? Well, the Master Chief character is listed as number one in the top-ten best halo characters<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is the Cortana Halo voice actor<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Cortana
Image: Paramount<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Cortana Halo voice actor is Jen Taylor<\/a>. Taylor has voiced Cortana in various game adaptations, with Showtime Networks<\/a> hiring her to continue as the Cortana Halo voice actor for the live-action TV show. Owing to the character’s popularity, Taylor also voiced Microsoft’s Windows PC\/Phone personal assistant<\/a>, named after the popular Halo character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is the Dr. Halsey voice actor<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Dr. Halsey voice actor is both Jen Taylor<\/strong> and Shelly Calene-Black<\/a>. As a civilian scientist, Dr. Halsey works with the military to run the SPARTAN-II Project. Cortana emanated from Halsey’s cloned brain. Interestingly, Jen Taylor, who also voices Cortana, does the motion capture and vocal performance for Dr. Halsey in Halo: Reach, Halo 4<\/em>, and Halo 5: Guardians<\/em>. However, Shelly Calene-Black<\/strong> voices Dr. Halsey in Halo Legends<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the Halo TV series cast changed<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here’s where things took a new, fresh turn! The live-action series introduced new original characters and broke tradition by revealing the Master Chiefs’ face for the first time ever. Here are 3 primary ways the Halo TV series cast changed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Since the Master Chief revealed his face, Pablo Schreiber<\/a> replaced the 72-year-old Master Chief voice actor because he fit the physical bill of a spartan supersoldier. <\/li>
  2. Cortana, as an AI, required no physical interaction with other characters, so Jen Taylor remained the Cortana Halo voice actor in the TV series. <\/li>
  3. The brand created a new TV series main character. Kwan Ha<\/a>, played by newcomer Yerin Ha. Her character showcases a more protective, caring side of the Master Chief because he takes Kwan under his wing, although she’s a survivor of a rebel-filled planet.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Now, the Halo franchise may have started with just a killer video game<\/a>, but over the years, it has expanded its reach to include games, merchandise, films, and even a live-action TV series<\/a>. In fact, a few years ago, Halo had a $5 billion estimated value<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The successful evolution of the Halo brand <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"Halo\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    The Halo brand evolved from a video game concept to a household name with an international following. In fact, the Halo TV series was Paramount+’s most-watched series premiere worldwide within 24 hours of its release<\/a>. With more than 10 million people playing Halo MCC on PC<\/a>. How did they achieve these numbers? The brand first analyzed its changing audiences and then tried to cater to that market. By asking critical questions like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n