Preview: Visual ASMR

04 : 04 : 2016 The-Emotional Economy : Advertising : Digital

Global – This week’s microtrend profiles a new type of visual fetishism emerging in creative communications.

  • Digital creatives are drawing on sensory phenomena such as ASMR
  • Visual stimuli are used to evoke a pleasurable sensation
Physlab by Anny Wang and Tim Söderström Physlab by Anny Wang and Tim Söderström
Physlab by Anny Wang and Tim Söderström Physlab by Anny Wang and Tim Söderström
Physlab by Anny Wang and Tim Söderström Physlab by Anny Wang and Tim Söderström
Physlab by Anny Wang and Tim Söderström Physlab by Anny Wang and Tim Söderström
Physlab by Anny Wang and Tim Söderström Physlab by Anny Wang and Tim Söderström

ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) is characterised by pleasurable tingling in response to certain sounds such as whispering. Now, new creatives are experimenting with using moving images to imitate tactility and give viewers similar sensory satisfaction.

‘The goal is for the the viewer to be able to imagine the tactile sensation from knowing the real-life experience,’ Tim Söderström, one half of the duo behind the Physlab series of animations, tells LS:N Global. Working with designer and illustrator Anny Wang, Söderström created short vignettes that depict inflated objects squeezing through tight openings, and ceramic vases being shattered in slow motion. The videos elicit a palpable, sensory satisfaction.

The Big Picture

In The E-motional Economy brands are increasingly using visual and tactile cues to create more emotive and sensory communications. To find out more about this new visual language, read our Visual ASMR microtrend.

Discover More Daily Signals
Ikea launches furniture and décor collection that frames play as a part of the entire home

Daily Signals

Ikea launches furniture and décor collection that frames play as a part of the entire home

At Miami Art Week, Ikea used its Open House Miami installation to frame play as an everyday design principle rather than a zone limited to children...
Design : Retail : Play
Foresight Friday: Emily Rhodes, creative lead

Daily Signals

Foresight Friday: Emily Rhodes, creative lead

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, creative lead Emily Rhode...
Design
Stat: UK anxiety about rapid cultural change accelerates

Daily Signals

Stat: UK anxiety about rapid cultural change accelerates

Public unease about the pace and direction of cultural change in the UK is intensifying, with new research revealing a sharp rise in perceptio...
Statistic : Society : Culture
Mantle borrows transplant-grade science for next-gen serum

Daily Signals

Mantle borrows transplant-grade science for next-gen serum

Swedish skincare brand Mantle is pushing medi-beauty into new territory with The Organ Essence, a serum that borrows its core actives from the pres...
Beauty : Science : Health
New study finds week-long digital detoxes improve youth mental health

Daily Signals

New study finds week-long digital detoxes improve youth mental health

A study published in JAMA Network Open in November 2025 suggests that taking a break from social media could deliver measurable mental health benef...
Technology : Youth : Social Media
Stat: Africa leads the AI adoption race for business

Daily Signals

Stat: Africa leads the AI adoption race for business

Africa is emerging as a frontrunner in workplace AI adoption, with 64% of workers reporting usage in the past year – well above the global average ...
Artificial Intelligence : Work : Statistic
Oloris transforms scent into a multi-sensory experience

Daily Signals

Oloris transforms scent into a multi-sensory experience

A new prototype from Pitch Studios, a creative agency based between London and Amsterdam, and Gentle Systems, an engineering studio in Berlin, is r...
Design : Technology : Fragrance
Stat: K-pop’s global popularity shows no signs of slowing

Daily Signals

Stat: K-pop’s global popularity shows no signs of slowing

K-pop’s transformation from a regional music scene into a global cultural force is now reflected in public awareness worldwide.
K-pop : Pop Culture : Statistic
How Clove is winning over healthcare workers with playful food collaborations

Daily Signals

How Clove is winning over healthcare workers with playful food collaborations

Clove, a functional footwear brand for healthcare workers, is using whimsical collaborations with unexpected food brands to stand out and breathe n...
Fashion : Healthcare : Collaboration
How artists KAWS’ 32m sculpture taps into the Awe Economy

Daily Signals

How artists KAWS’ 32m sculpture taps into the Awe Economy

The latest iteration of artist KAWS’ global public art series has landed on the Mina Zayed Waterfront as part of Abu Dhabi’s city-wide The Light Co...
Architecture : Sculpture : Art And Design
You have 1 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN