How A Candy Sounds? The New Trend of Candy ASMR
| BY JOSH ROTHSTEIN
Do you ever stop and wonder why certain types of candy become so popular all of a sudden? Perhaps, you can’t seem to keep these seemingly random items stocked on your shelves. Though this can happen for a variety of reasons, one culprit may be the new trend of candy ASMR videos on social media platforms, like TikTok and YouTube that showcase the sound of candy. It’s true: how a candy sounds may be the appeal that’s driving more customers to shop at your candy store. So, now you’re probably asking the question: “what the heck is ASMR?”
ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response and it refers to the feeling you get from sound - most notably, the tingling sensation in the crown of your head from certain audiovisual triggers. The term was coined in 2010 by Jennifer Allen, who created a group on Facebook for people to discuss their experiences with these types of sensations. As it turns out, this idea resonated with a wide audience that’s still growing to this day.
What happens in ASMR videos?
Most ASMR YouTube videos are intended to calm the viewer with soothing sounds, some of which may send a tingling sensation down your spine. Most videos feature a softly-spoken host who plays with audio cues like tapping their nails, whispering, cutting bars of soap, squishing their fingers in slime and even simply brushing their microphone with makeup or paint brushes. For many people on the internet, these calming sounds just feel good.
Content creators achieve this binaural ASMR experiences with a highly sensitive 360° microphone. These audible sensations are best experienced by the viewer with a quality set of 360° stereo headphones. Though all ASMR senses are not completely audible ones, some ASMR triggers can also come from visual cues, like cutting a cake, or a sponge, or better yet: a sponge cake!
There is some science behind ASMR too. Some research suggests that ASMR can reduce stress and may have the potential to help people with depression, anxiety, chronic pain and it can even help you fall asleep. If that’s the case, I think I first experienced ASMR triggers when I was a kid, watching videos of painter Bob Ross on PBS. Those soothing sounds of the brush rapidly hitting the canvas could instantly put me to sleep. And I don’t mean that in a bad way!
How ASMR became popular in food videos
ASMR videos go hand-in-hand with another trend that originated around the same time: Mukbang videos. Originating in South Korea, Mukbang (pronounced “mook-bong”) videos feature people eating food in front of a camera. The popularity is perhaps most notable on YouTube, where plenty of videos exist of people eating every kind of snack - from candy, to noodles, chicken wings and even hot dogs. Some of these videos have hundreds of millions of views and there are a LOT to choose from!
You may be wondering, do people actually enjoy hearing other people’s eating sounds? While this may be surprising to you, it is most definitely not the weirdest thing on the internet.
Case and point:
Believe it or not, this isn’t the weirdest thing on the internet either!
Yes, it is kind of weird for someone who grew up with their parents constantly telling you to “chew with your mouth shut” to see people get famous by smacking, slurping and crunching their food on camera. But people actually love hearing the exaggerated sounds people make while eating food and slurping down sugary drinks. It is a fun experience for millions of people. And what food is the most fun to eat?
That’s right, it’s candy!
What are some popular candy products that can create ASMR triggers?
Candy is fun to eat. No matter who you are, it’s hard to imagine anyone who could be sad about eating sweet, sweet candy. Odds are that you have come across some ASMR content while watching videos on YouTube, or scrolling through TikTok posts. There are even dedicated playlists of people rustling through buckets of candy, unwrapping candy bars, popping and chewing candy on Spotify.
So what are the best candy products to experience ASMR triggers with? The answer can range broadly, from the crisp sounds of biting into a Kit Kat bar, to the soothing, sludgy sounds of biting into a large gummy candy, like eFrutti’s Planet Gummi. Here are some of our favorite picks:
DinDon Ju-C Jelly Bites:
This soft, chewy and juicy candy became incredibly popular, thanks to TikTok star Jaden Sprinz. Instead of opening the fruit-shaped casing the jelly comes in, this content creator simply bit into the bag, making the fruity-flavored goo spray all over the place. This could either land on the floor in front of you, or in your mouth, depending on the trajectory of your bite. This candy singlehandedly launched a popular TikTok challenge Sprinz dubbed: “Hit or Miss”. You can join the online craze by preordering them on our website here.
Nik L Nip Candy Wax:
These wax bottle candies are filled with an assortment of delicious flavors, from Chillin’ Cherry, O-So-Orange, Blazin’ Blue Raspberry, Hello Lemon and Groovin’ Green. Bite or “nip” into the soft candy wax and you’ll see what all the fuss is about! Available in classic bottle shapes and tubes. Order these here.
Nerds Rope:
Nerds rope has a little bit of everything: sweet, crunchy, soft and chewy all in one! Nerds candy-crusted gummy rope is sure to excite your senses as you bite into the mind-blowing combination of gummy and crunchy! Choose from four different flavors, when you order here.
Juicy Drop Gummy Dip’N Stix:
These sweet gummy sticks come with a sour gel that is out of this world! Kids and kids at heart can customize their flavor experience by adding a little, or a lot of sour gel to each lick! These are not only satisfying to watch and hear, they’re mouth-watering with 4 unique flavors. Order these here.
Kidsmania Soda Can Fizzy Candy:
These unique novelty candy packs resemble a miniature six pack of soda pop. Pop these carbonated popping candies into your mouth for a fizzy, mouth-watering experience! Available in 4 classic flavors: Orange Crash, Lemon Lime Sprint, Loca Cola and Grape Splash. Order yours here.
Find your own snacks that are sure to excite your senses at Redstone Foods today!
