The Sound of Persuasion: ASMR’s Role in Consumer Perception and Purchase Intent
Type
conference contribution
Date Issued
2025
Author(s)
Abstract
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) has become a rapidly expanding media phenomenon, yet its persuasive potential in marketing remains insufficiently understood. Building on psychological insights into ASMR susceptibility, affective responses, and parasocial interaction (PSI), this study examines whether ASMRtists convey sponsorship messages more effectively than traditional influencers. Two experimental 2×2 designs (N = 408) compared ASMR-based and non-ASMR influencer videos using identical product information and sponsored scripts. The findings show that ASMR can be reliably triggered even in short, one-minute advertising messages, and that ASMRtists elicit significantly higher levels of perceived ASMR. The underlying mechanism operates through enhanced parasocial closeness, which improves brand evaluations and subsequently increases purchase intention. A mediation model reveals that 71% of ASMR’s total effect on purchase intention is transmitted via PSI and brand evaluation. These effects are robust across influencer and viewer gender. The study contributes to a clearer conceptual distinction between ASMR marketing and conventional influencer marketing, extends PSI theory in the context of audiovisual persuasive cues, and highlights managerial implications for brands with sensory product attributes. At the same time, it underscores limitations—particularly the restricted ASMR susceptibility within the population—and outlines avenues for future research involving long-form ASMR content, cross-cultural comparisons, and platform-specific dynamics.
Language
English
Keywords
ASMR Influence
Influencer Marketing
Purchase Intention
Consumer Perception
Consumer Behaviour
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Event Title
NIMCon 2025
Event Location
Nuremberg
Event Date
2025