Tesco has unveiled its first post on TikTok, announcing a competition to find the new voice on its self-service checkouts.
Using the duet feature in the app, Tesco asked TikTok users to repeat the prompt in their best accent to win the honour of being heard across the country and 10,000 Clubcard points - the value of £100.
The supermarket has been inactive on TikTok for some time, but since the post, the supermarket has racked up more than 83,000 followers.
With more than 1.1 million views of Tesco’s video in just 24 hours, the auditions are rolling in under the hashtag #tescovoiceofcheckout. App users are commenting on the entries, but the final decision is Tesco’s to make, allowing the retailer to steer clear of issues that have arisen when the public have been allowed to make decisions online, such as voting to name a research vessel ‘Boaty McBoatface’ or that actor Macaulay Culkin should change his middle name to ‘Macaulay Culkin’.
Thousands have replied to the original post, with many asking for regional accents to be used in their local machines – one user asked “in Liverpool instead of welcome to Tesco say ‘alright there lad’” and another “a Scouser saying ‘calm down calm down, someone’s on the way to help’”. Even Aldi UK’s TikTok account took a stab at an audition with a funny, flirty approach - and adding in the caption: ”Our agent will be in touch”.
@aldiuk #duet with @Tesco Did we get lost 👀 our agent will be in touch… #tescovoiceofcheckout #aldi #alditiktok ♬ original sound - Tesco
Previously, the machines were voiced by former EastEnders actress Helena Breck, while, more recently, it has been replaced by a male voice actor who many shoppers argue sounds like Great British Bake Off presenter Noel Fielding.
The winner will be recorded saying the key phrases: “Don’t forget to scan or tap your Clubcard” and “Clubcard accepted”. With their recording to be played at selected self-service checkouts across the UK for a few weeks in November.
Shoppers looking to bring life to their local machine have until 5 October to enter via TikTok.
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