A study commissioned by the Central Office of Information (COI) found that Geordies and Mancunians enjoy listening to their own regional accents in government advertisements but Brummies and Bristolians would rather hear a more neutral voice.
The COI found the response to radio and TV advertising varied hugely depending on where they are shown and which accent they are recorded in.
The COI controls the government's annual £400m marketing budget. It produces government warnings about the dangers of drink driving, smoking and other health warnings.
Residents of some regions, including Tyneside and Manchester, prefer to listen to these warnings in the local dialect. Others, including those who live in the West Midlands and Bristol, are more likely to sit up and take notice when they are made using received pronunciation.
The survey was carried out by independent agency HPI Research. It spanned five English regions and compared government messages recorded in local accents with identical adverts that used a generic English voice.
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