Can Audio Elicit A Physical Response? Yes, Says Veritonic Test Of Sport Clips Spots.

Sport Clips Haircuts worked with Play Audio Agency and utilized Veritonic’s creative measurement capabilities to identify voiceover talent that physically resonated with listeners.

Sport Clips, which specializes in haircuts for men and boys, turned to Play Audio Agency to identify an innovative and disruptive way to advertise the new scent for its signature service, The MVP Haircut Experience, using an ASMR style of production.

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, or ASMR for short, is defined as a tingling sensation that usually begins on the scalp and moves down the neck and the upper spine. A type of low-grade euphoria. A growing number of brands have added ASMR into their marketing mix to build an audio narrative that elicits a positive, physical response, further elevating brand awareness.

Veritonic tested ten voiceover assets in a pre-market environment to identify the top two performers, setting parameters to measure attributes including authenticity, uniqueness, and relevance, while also identifying spikes in recall, intent, engagement, and brand awareness.

"Creative testing is an indispensable tool enabling brands to confidently invest in audio with the assurance that their chosen assets will be an accurate representation of their brand and achieve desired marketing goals," CEO Scott Simonelli said in a release. "Veritonic was able to provide Sport Clips and Play Audio Agency with comprehensive and actionable data needed to support their decision-making process.”

The case study found that “by transporting the listener to a blissful place via engaging audio ads, there is a higher chance they will remember the company after the ad is heard.” Additionally, Veritonic data and analysis indicated that 100% of the tested audio scored at or above benchmarks for overall resonance, intent, and engagement. Findings also show that when ASMR is used, companies can engage with and keep the audience’s attention longer versus traditionally voiced audio ads.

“We knew we wanted to create and bring the most compelling and engaging audio ad to market,” Sport Clips’ Sr. Director of Marketing, Danielle Linden remarked. “With positive pre-market testing results from the Veritonic platform, Sport Clips, in partnership with Play Audio Agency, used the actionable recommendations and data to successfully bring our MVP Haircut Experience to life.”