[Art of ASMR]

The importance of consent in ASMR videos and live sessions

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Abby Lee Hood is a Nashville-based freelance writer who recently wrote a terrific article for MTV news titled, “ASMR IS NORMALIZING CONSENT, ONE WHISPER AT A TIME.”

Her article highlights how consent not only applies to romantic and non-romantic relationships, but also to ASMR.   Consent is an important part of ASMR role-play videos and real world ASMR sessions because feeling safe and at ease is probably critical to the relaxing feeling of ASMR.

Abby Lee cites data in the article about consent and ASMR which was collected by MTV from over 100 participants.  She has shared the data with me and given me permission to share it here.  Most of the responses focus on ASMR videos, but the incorporation of consent would also be very relevant to live or person-to-person ASMR sessions.

Below are the data from the MTV survey, followed by links to her article and her website.

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Grandmother begins new journey as creator of ASMR videos

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Elena Jdanova was born in Moscow, Russia (USSR back then), graduated from Moscow State University with a B.S. Degree in paleontology, and now resides in California, USA.

Her resume already includes experiences as an Indian dance instructor, ceramicist, massage therapist, and an author of two books.

Now, at the age of 62 years and as a loving grandmother to a couple of grandchildren, Elena has decided to start a new journey – she is creating ASMR videos on her new YouTube channel called Grandmother’s Tales.

So what do you get when you combine a Russian grandmother and an ASMR content creator?  Someone who has a lifelong understanding of positive personal attention (also called “doting” in grandmother-speak) and communicates it with a delightful Russian accent.

In my interview with Elena she explains her inspiration to create ASMR videos, how being a grandmother influences her content, her challenges encountered so far with creating ASMR videos, and reactions to her videos from family, friends, and strangers.

Below are my questions in bold, her replies in italics, and links to her ASMR video channel, gardening video channel, and published books.

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Have you visited Whisperlodge for an in-person ASMR experience yet?

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Whisperlodge is a live, in-person, theatrical, and totally immersive experience for ASMR lovers.

They only have a few events in specific locations throughout the year, and one of those is upcoming.

Whisperlodge will be at Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California from March 13 – 17, 2019.

Here is more information they shared with me so you can learn more about their ASMR experience.

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ASMR commercials – a growing trend

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityIn 2015, Dove chocolate probably created the first ASMR-inspired commercial.

In 2016, more companies followed, including Pepsi, KFC, and Ritz Crackers.

And since then, the list has been growing steadily to include Ikea, Applebee’s, McDonalds, Renault, Toyota, Sony, Zippo lighters, MTV, Behr paint, and more.

I won’t say they all succeeded in making ideal ASMR-triggering videos – some definitely understood ASMR better than others.

But I think they all did succeed in highlighting their products or message in a relaxing way.  ASMR has inspired a new wave of commercials that don’t yell at you, push their products on you, demand you buy right now, and add to your daily stress.

Interested in viewing these low-key, relaxing commercials?

I’ve just created a new page on this website dedicated solely to ASMR-inspired commercials.  I will keep adding to the page as more are produced, so feel free to revisit it occasionally to see the list grow.

Some of the commercials that I think have the best ASMR triggers include Dove chocolate, Ritz crackers, Michelob Ultra, Renault, and Ikea.

Visit the new page: ASMR Commercials

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Jimmy Kimmel features ASMR on late night talk show

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityJimmy Kimmel explored the curious world of ASMR videos – with the help of kids.

This week, his late night show on ABC featured a 5 minute segment of him talking to kids about ASMR.  The kids explained ASMR and they watched ASMR videos together.

I thought the kids did a great job of explaining ASMR, with enjoyable moments of amusement between the host and the kids.

I’ve added Jimmy Kimmel to my growing list below of almost 50 actors, musicians, and other well know individuals who have discussed ASMR or attempted to create ASMR triggers.

Scroll down the list below and tap on Jimmy Kimmel’s name to watch his funny ASMR round table with the kids, and tap any of the other famous names to see how they are exploring ASMR.

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Renee Frances publishes the first ASMR-inspired children’s book

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityRenee Frances is a children’s book author who has written the first children’s picture book to incorporate ASMR, titled “Avery Sleeps More Readily: A whispered Good Night Fairy book.”

Incorporating ASMR triggers into the content and process of reading a child a bedtime story is a fantastic idea.   Common ASMR triggers like personal attention, whispering, soft voices, light touch, picture tracing, gentle hand movements, page turning, and caring behaviors are typical stimuli that can occur when a parent or caretaker reads a child a bedtime story.

It is even possible that the origins of ASMR are rooted in most caring behaviors that happen between children and their caretakers.  Renee’s book not only reminds readers about incorporating these soothing behaviors at bedtime, but provides optimal techniques and content to help readers lull a child to sleep with a bedtime story.

The illustrations are beautifully done by Romaine Tacey and I was provided the great honor of writing the foreword.  The book will be available on Amazon on August 8, 2018, but in the meantime you can access a digital copy via the link at the end of this article.

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Published research study explores ASMR trigger preferences

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityI initially reported about this published study on November 1, 2017, but this article will now share more details and summarize the data.

The study is titled, “Sensory determinants of the autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR): understanding the triggers” and was published October 6, 2017 in PeerJ by Emma Barratt, Charles Spence, and Nick Davis.

Of historical note, Barratt and Davis were the co-authors of the first ASMR research study published in 2015.  In this new study they investigate some of the traits of ASMR triggers.

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Undergraduate student shares completed dissertation on ASMR, aesthetics, sensory perception, and sensory phenomena

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityAndrew Smith is an undergraduate student at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design at The University of Dundee, Scotland.

He focused his final year dissertation project on ASMR to fulfill the requirements for his Bachelor of Design degree (with Honors).

Andrew’s completed dissertation was 47 pages (~10,000 words), was titled, “An investigation into the interconnected nature of aesthetics, sensory perception and sensory phenomena” and weaved together the following topics:

  • ASMR
  • The Golden Rectangle (a shape linked to art, design, and architecture)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (a therapy for trauma patients)
  • Brain Wave States, Hypnosis, & REM, Sleep
  • Brain Default Mode Network & Synaesthesia
  • Interpersonal bonding
  • Senses, Sensory Processing Disorder, & Autism

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College student creates mesmerizing animations for research project about synthetic ASMR triggers

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ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response UniversityMarcus Nystrand is an undergraduate student in the Visual Communications program at Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm, Sweden.

For his graduation project he decided to create videos with synthetic ASMR triggers and survey if they are able to stimulate ASMR in viewers.

What are “synthetic ASMR triggers?”  Marcus created computer-generated animations that have some properties of ASMR triggers (e.g., movements, sounds) but without the presence of human forms (e.g., hands) or human objects (e.g., brushes).

In short, his project is asking, “Can non-human motions, items, and sounds trigger ASMR?”

His animations are extremely high quality,  very imaginative, and deeply mesmerizing.  Will they trigger your ASMR?

Read on to learn a bit more about his project, then click the link to view his amazing videos and answer his short survey questions.

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