Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a spidery sensation felt across the scalp and up and down the spine, triggered by certain sensory experiences. Some people are triggered by the sound of noisy mastication; others are set off by watching the repetitive folding of laundry. There is little scientific research on the phenomenon, but it seems you either get it or you don’t. Many who do often arouse this relaxing sensation by watching ASMR YouTube videos, which they claim help them to manage anxiety or fall asleep, or just give them pleasure.
No matter what your ASMR trigger, there’s probably a YouTube video for you. There are dozens of videos of people slowly brushing their hair or tapping their fingernails against the microphone, as well as POV role-play scenarios in which the content creators (dubbed “ASMRtists”) assume caregiving roles, such as beauticians applying makeup or doctors administering a “cranial exam”. The most popular ASMR channel, Gentle Whispering ASMR, has almost 1.5 million subscribers.
In fact, YouTube is now so awash with content designed to trigger tingles that those looking to monetise their channels are having to turn to more creative means. Much like how the paid porn industry is being rapidly eclipsed by the abundance of free porn, those in the soon-to-be-oversaturated ASMR business are being forced to turn their whispers to a new revenue stream: custom and bespoke content.
“There are definitely more and more ASMRtists everyday,” Kat Tenbarge, the creator behind Kat Whispers ASMR, a channel still in its infancy, tells me. Tenbarge is a Journalism and Environmental Studies student at Ohio University, and is looking to better monetise her channel. She got into ASMR after seeing it parodied in a College Humour video, and set up her own channel last year. Although she does not have many subscribers, she received her first request for a custom video soon after launching. “It surprised me,” she says. “I assumed only artists with big followings generated that kind of interest. But I actually think it's the opposite. Big-name YouTubers probably don’t have the time to take personalized requests. They also might not need or want that additional stream of income.”
Tenbarge advertises custom ASMR in the description box of her videos. A potential customer then specifies their favourite ASMR triggers, video length, and any other details, with the rates varying according to the complexity of the shoot. Generally, Tenbarge offers a rate of $25 for editing and preparation, plus an additional $2.50 for every minute of filming – so a 30-minute video would typically cost $100.
Making a custom video can be a time-consuming affair, involving scripting, hair and makeup, costuming and rehearsing, not to mention filming, editing and uploading. Tenbarge splits her commission with an editor, meaning the whole thing works out at around $10 an hour each. It’s not much, but for channels that don’t have enough viewers to make money from adverts, it’s a quick way to monetise. “As far as the ASMR industry goes, I think it's a very new concept,” Tenbarge says. “Most creators don't start a channel with the hopes of having a career, and I'm sure lots don't plan on ever seeing a monetary return. But personally, I do think there's a lot of potential for selling this kind of content.”
Her first custom video was straightforward: the requester asked for kissing noises, lotion sounds, lipstick application and the use of his name. If you think that sounds a little sexual, you’re not alone: ASMR videos are frequently conflated with sexual content (although many creators refute the association). ASMR videos were recently explicitly targeted by China’s anti-pornography office, and some ASMRtists have had their PayPal accounts frozen for breaching the company’s terms and conditions relating to sexually oriented services.
But while crossover ASMR and fetish/kink content definitely exists, the majority of ASMR videos are intended more as a sleeping or relaxation aid. Nevertheless, Tenbarge says that she has been approached to make sexually-charged content. “I had a requester asking for a magazine reading, with a note that there weren't any ‘sexy’ Cosmopolitan covers lately,” she says. “That was a red flag. I also shy away from content that's even remotely romantic, like ‘caring girlfriend’ roleplays, which I've noticed are becoming popular.”
She says that one of her creepier custom video requests was for a kind of puppeteer roleplay, in which she pretended to turn the viewer into a magical puppet and to manipulate their limbs with strings.
ASMRtist ASMR Char (who prefers not to disclose her real name) is keen to emphasise the positive side of ASMR, and points to recent research from the University of Sheffield that suggests it could indeed have relaxing effects on those who experience the phenomenon. An artist and art therapy practitioner, she views ASMR videos as a chance to flex her creative muscles: her videos include eating sticky raw honeycomb and roleplaying as a “bitchy, popular girl” who does your makeup.
Like Tenbarge, ASMR Char says she has been asked to make custom videos and has received similar trigger requests, including name repetition, mouth sounds, nail tapping and lipgloss application. She describes these videos as “trigger assortment videos”, where requesters get to experience all of their ASMR triggers in a single clip. She charges £30 for a 15-minute video, then £10 for every additional ten minutes.
ASMR Char says that the current rise of custom ASMR is driven mainly by demand from viewers. “I think that people love to have a more personal touch, where they can choose the triggers and be the creators of their own ASMR story,” she says. “Custom ASMR videos are as ‘real’ as you can get, and I think people like that side.”
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
