ASMR in Marketing and Advertising

man whispering into microphone for asmr marketing videos

If you hop onto Youtube and plug ‘ASMR videos’ into the search bar, you will find a thriving scene of ASMR video artists with millions of followers from around the world.

But what exactly is ASMR?

ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, a phenomenon that causes relaxation and a pleasant tingling sensation during exposure to certain visual or audio stimuli.
These stimuli can include gentle whispering, tapping nails, slow and repetitive movements, or paper being crushed.

In ASMR videos, creators film themselves performing these motions and noises without any loud noises or music. They let the bare simplicity of the actions and sounds soothe the audience and elicit a sensory reaction.
However, it should be noted that different people experience ASMR differently- some sounds may evoke a sensory response in an individual and others may not. Some people do not experience ASMR at all.

This concept of an ASMR video lends itself very well to creating unusual and engaging content for brands. The highlights and appeal of a product can be showcased without any form of distraction, and the sensory responses that the video and audio evoke leave a lasting impact on the viewer.

ASMR in Marketing and Advertising Videos

Many brands have realised the benefits of incorporating ASMR videos into their marketing or advertising efforts. Advertisements from a range of different brands have come up in recent years with elements of ASMR within their video or audio content.

One of the most successful marketing efforts incorporating ASMR would be Ikea’s ‘Oddly Ikea’ ASMR video on dorm room solutions for college students.

With a soft, soothing voiceover, and calm repetitive movements, the narrator gently guides the viewer through several ways to keep a small space neat and tidy. The mesmerizing video spans 25 minutes, but many of the commenters stated that they hardly noticed that they had just watched an ad that ran for almost half an hour. Most of the comments also praised Ikea for creating the video in a way that was genuine and respectful of the ASMR genre.

It is clear that in this case, the usage of ASMR in Ikea’s video was a success. It not only promoted the brand’s products in a useful and clear manner, it also showcased the brand in a positive light.

In 2019, Michelob Ultra Pure Gold beer debuted an advertisement starring actress Zöe Kravitz during the Super Bowl- one of the most coveted ad spots in the USA.

The advertisement showed Kravitz tapping on a bottle of beer and whispering her lines, and also featured the sound of the bottle being opened and the fizzing of the beer as part of the audio.
The broadcast of an ASMR-inspired advertisement during one of the biggest sporting events in the USA shows the potential for the genre in marketing. An article headline in the Rolling Stones even declared: ‘ASMR Goes Mainstream with Super Bowl Commercial’.

Our Work in ASMR

But ASMR advertisements don’t always have to be 25-minute long affairs or big productions with celebrities for the likes of the Super Bowl. Short, simple videos can also capture attention and engage audiences, especially on social media where the average attention span may be short, and there are constraints on the length of content.