Mars brand Excel Gum uses ASMR to relieve studying stress

Dive Brief:

Mars, Inc. brand Excel Gum has launched a new Canadian campaign, “Excel Study Beats,” that leverages autonomous sensory meridian response, or ASMR, for content designed to help relieve studying stress, per a press release.
The effort includes partnerships with three ASMR creators to craft soothing gum sounds that will be shared on YouTube, TikTok and Spotify. The creator partners will also host live ASMR study sessions on TikTok.
Additionally, the Study Beats campaign includes a charitable component benefiting Food Banks Canada. The move makes Excel Gum one of the latest to leverage ASMR in its marketing as consumers indicate a desire for soothing content.

Dive Insight:

Mars is hoping to relieve what it bills as “examiety” with the launch of its Study Beats campaign, crafting ASMR content that could help its Excel Gum brand shore up a stronger relationship with consumers, especially the younger generation. Eighty-three percent of Gen Z students seek soothing content on platforms like YouTube as a way to relax, per a 2022 Ipsos survey cited in release details, and views of ASMR videos topped 65 billion in 2021 alone.

The Study Beats effort includes partnerships with ASMR content creators @asmrjas, @mashakatasonov and @kawaiimlln who will create content on YouTube and TikTok encapsulating supposedly calming aspects of gum, like the sound of chewing and the popping open of of blister packs. In addition to creating content, the brand’s influencer partners will host TikTok “Study with Me” live ASMR sessions beginning Nov. 30.

The Study Beats campaign will also have a Spotify presence, marking the brand’s first-ever streaming profile, per the release. For every stream on the brand’s page, Mars will donate $1 (up to $25,000) to Food Banks Canada, a charitable organization dedicated that aids Canadians living with food insecurity.

Excel Gum isn’t the first to tap into ASMR hype for its marketing. Others, including Michelob Ultra, Zippo and Toyota have similarly experimented with the tactic in hopes of shoring up a stronger connection with consumers. Earlier this year, hair salon franchise Sports Clips saw success by using ASMR to promote its signature MVP Haircut Experience, with brand awareness increasing 15%, 48 hours after exposure to the ads. Additionally, 50% of the company’s target audience reported feeling soothed by the advertising while 43% felt the ads kept their attention.