Joining the group of Pepsi, KFC, Dove, Ritz, and IKEA, Toyota announces ASMR-inspired commercials.

According to their September 1 2017 news release about the “Sensations” marketing campaign for the 2018 Camry,

“A different creative execution incorporates ASMR technology (autonomous sensory meridian response) – a tingling many people experience when listening to certain sounds – to magnify sensations, create rich sight and sound content and highlight the extraordinary features of the new Camry.”

There is a problem though.  I didn’t find strong evidence of ASMR-inspiration in the nine campaign videos I watched.

The videos are thrilling, exhilarating, and joyful, but not ASMR-inducing.

What I remember after watching all the videos is intense music, fast cars, fireballs, explosions, a close accident, screeching brakes, trunks and doors slamming, driving next to a steep cliff, lightning strikes, and lots of engine revving and tire screeching.

Exciting stuff, but not relaxing, soothing, or ASMR tingle-inducing.

The news release mentions “ASMR technology.”  This may be a reference to binaurally recorded audio or video close-ups of hair, mouths, and fingers.

The news release further mentions that the “ASMR technology” was used, “…to magnify sensations, create rich sight and sound content…”  But in the realm of ASMR, those sensations, sights and sounds should result in a relaxing and soothing experience.

I don’t think the Toyota ads failed to convey their intended message, I’m just not sure that ASMR was understood or incorporated appropriately to warrant the mention of ASMR in their news release.

My hope is that they just have not released their true ASMR-inspired ads yet.

You can read the Toyota News Release HERE.

Explore other ASMR-inspired commercials by:

• Dove
• Pepsi
• KFC
• Ritz
• IKEA

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This post brought to you by ASMR University.  A site with the mission of increasing the awareness, understanding, and research of the Art and Science of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.