ASMR in advertising and its effects : the moderating role of product involvement and brand familiarity

The autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is an atypical media phenomenon that has been garnering the attention of the public with certain sensory, primarily audio-visual, stimuli. This study looks at the effects of ASMR in advertising on viewers’ positive affect, attitudes and purchase intentions. Furthermore, the study investigates the moderating effects of product involvement and brand familiarity with ASMR ads. The findings reveal that ASMR ads promote a higher positive affect and more favorable attitude towards ad and purchase intention than non-ASMR ads. This study also finds that the effect of ASMR ads on positive affect is higher with low product involvement and high brand familiarity. The interaction between ASMR with product involvement and brand familiarity did not vary on attitude towards brand and purchase intention while the attitude towards ad was more favorable when brand familiarity was higher. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed