ASMR videos rack up millions of views by serving up soothing sounds and visuals to stressed out young consumers—and brands are increasingly using the niche trend to create some calming marketing…
We’ve been tracking the rise of ASMR for some time, and the soothing trend shows no sign of slowing down. Millennials & Gen Z teens are relaxing with ASMR videos—short for autonomous sensory meridian response—that rack up hundreds of millions of views on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. In fact, according to Instagram’s annual report, ASMR made the biggest mark as a niche community in 2018 with viral trends like soap cutting and slime making a lot of noise for a mostly silent trend. The videos can feature a variety of activities that result in quiet, comforting sounds that for some result in a tingling feeling—whispering, soap cutting, paper cutting, and, of course, slime smooshing, are just a few. We even talked to one startup that’s working to turn the internet sensation into a series of in-person experiences.
Why are they such a sensation? Gen Z and Millennials are the most stressed, anxious generations to date—and they’re looking for ways to escape the noise of the world and calm their minds. Our trend In Their Heads explored their increasing interest in mental health, mindfulness, and mini stress relievers. Watching or listening to these oddly satisfying snippets is just one way mental self-care needs are being met digitally (coloring books and meditation apps as just a couple of other examples.) The founder of Whisperlodge told Ypulse, “A lot of people…use ASMR to relax and calm their anxieties, so I imagine the stress and uncertainty of being an intersectional human in any country in 2018 also drives people to find an affordable and safe way to self-soothe.” In a recent survey, 15%…
