It starts with ASMR
ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response. It is the lightly tingling, relaxed reaction some people get from certain sounds: whispering, tapping, crinkling. Not everyone feels it equally strongly, but watching the videos is calming for almost anyone.
Squishies fit right into that. A crunchy squishy crackles with every squeeze, and that sound is exactly what these videos live on.
Slow rise is made to be watched
There is a second reason and it is purely visual. With a slow rise squishy you watch the shape rebuild itself over a few seconds. That is satisfying in exactly the same way as a clip of something fitting together perfectly.
It is also short enough for a video of a few seconds, which happens to be what the algorithm likes.
Collecting and trading
What really made it big is the trading. Squishies are small, affordable and there are hundreds of different ones, so they lend themselves perfectly to collecting and swapping. At school they simply go from hand to hand.
With mystery squishies you do not know in advance which one you are getting, and that turns the unboxing itself into content. It is why unboxing videos work so well.
Why there are so many trading mats
As soon as people start trading, the question of who had what comes up. That is what a trading mat is for: a double-sided board where you lay out what belongs to whom, so a swap stays clear and fair. A small detail, but it is exactly why trading took off the way it did.
What you need to film your own
- Sound over picture. With ASMR the audio is the product. Film in a quiet room and keep your phone close.
- One squishy per video. Several at once gets messy, both on screen and in the audio.
- Show the bounce back. Do not cut away the moment you let go, because that is the bit people stay for.
- Plain background. A white table or a trading mat works better than a busy desk.
Where do you start?
If you want to join in, a butter squishy is the obvious first one. It is the most recognisable and the slowest to spring back. If you are after sound, go for crunchy. And if collecting is your thing, mystery squishies are the most fun.
Browse all squishies or have a look through the TikTok Famous page for everything going viral right now.
Tip: film in een stille ruimte en houd je telefoon dichtbij. Bij ASMR is het geluid belangrijker dan het beeld.
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