ASMR Your Nerves Down

I find myself enjoying certain types of content on Instagram during the occasional pandemic glooms. Amongst them quite some are cat reels (guilty) and some catch my attention particularly because of the audio. I tend to share the creative ones and receive responses resonating what I felt myself. (Make sure audio is turned on while looking at the below links.)

These videos have a definitely attractive visual stimulus but what makes them even more engaging is the audio. It sends this pleasantly tingling sensation, inducing a little relaxation and excitement (well there's also lemonade-nostalgia, above, and, below, a longing to be in the nature).

These videos trigger ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response), which is a gentle and pleasant feel, often triggering a tingling sensation that travels down the body. The term ASMR was coined in 2010 over the internet and has been gaining steady popularity ever-since, aided by YouTube. After spotting it in my feed, I associated its applicability with the current times as a tool for marketing. Being a well-known trend, brands have used ASMR before to engage with their consumers. However, the present-day finds the relevance in its quality to soothe evermore. It becomes an opportunity for creators and brands to connect with their audience by providing means of relaxation during the COVID-19 crisis. To emphasise the same I’ve found a couple of recent examples of brands using ASMR soothing driven by the pandemic-times, hope you enjoy them!

Sheba® uploaded a sleep-inducing film for cat parents using various techniques - including ASMR voices - as both the parents and their cats suffer anxieties due to the pandemic. Sheba® has also included its products, salmon (that part made me giggle) and chicken, in the video.

Old Pulteney, The Maritime Malt, a whiskey brand, launched a free augmented reality app for whisky lovers into a virtual coastal world for virtual brand experiences. The app’s features also include 'Let it Slow'- a soothing ASMR coastal soundtrack, from the home of The Maritime Malt on Scotland’s northerly shores, with lapping sea waves and crunching sand to the rhythmic tempo of rolling casks.