We see a man in a soundproof studio surrounded by strategically placed microphones. The man has a tray of the new Crunchy Chicken Fillet in front of him, along with fries and soda. He takes the viewers on an ASMR journey as he interacts with the meal. First, he sets the mood by shaking up the soft drink and the ice inside it, allowing viewers to hear every piece of ice shaken through the microphone. Then, he delicately unwraps the sandwich and proceeds to take a bite from the extremely crunchy sandwich and chews it in a very slow repetitive pattern, as if it’s a ritual, with every crunch heard loud and clear. The man repeats the same action throughout the rest of the experiment.
Cultural / Context information for the jury
ASMR videos have recently become very popular in Saudi Arabia, with Saudis creating and sharing their own amateur versions of ASMR experiences from their homes. Moreover, our experiment took place right when cinemas, the nation’s latest craze, were officially launched in Saudi Arabia.
Tell the jury about the elements of sound design.
We collaborated with neuroscientists and sound engineers to plan and execute the perfect ASMR experiment. We realized that for the brain to trigger ASMR, the subject needs to be exposed to a repetitive low-frequency pattern with no sudden high notes, and that is why slow repetitive actions were carefully carried out throughout the experiment. The hero is surrounded by strategically placed microphones that capture different sounds from different angles, allowing us to create an immersive 7.1 Dolby surround experience in the Cinema. This was essential due to the fact that moving sound from one ear to the other can boost the auditory triggers of ASMR. The whole experiment was recorded in a sound isolated studio to capture every sound in detail. It is important to note that listening to this experiment on headphones or speakers does not give the same effect when listening to it in a 7.1 Dolby surround