Is there a Case for Constructive Friction? Designing for Memorability in a Seamless World

We dwell in an age obsessive about pace and entry. Swipe left, faucet to skip, click on to purchase. Each interplay has been engineered to be sooner, simpler and extra seamless. And effectivity has grow to be the dominant aesthetic of recent enterprise.

However right here’s the paradox: within the race to strip out friction, we danger stripping out memorability. The slickness that makes manufacturers environment friendly can even make them forgettable. And for enterprise and model leaders, that’s not only a artistic drawback: it’s a enterprise danger.

Friction, correctly deployed, is a function, not a flaw. Constructive friction creates stickiness. It forces a pause – time to soak up and engender an emotional response. It makes experiences memorable in a sea of sameness.

Let’s discover what leaders seeking to introduce extra pressure into their model ought to be excited about.

When Easy Turns into Soulless 

Shoppers anticipate effectivity of their model interactions; manufacturers have recognised this and tailored accordingly. However when each expertise is designed to be seamless, manufacturers themselves danger disappearing. In brief, a seamless world can rapidly grow to be a brandless world.

Contemplate the Tate & Lyle Golden Syrup rebrand. For over a century, the tin carried a daring picture of a lion surrounded by bees – placing, actually odd, considerably biblical however immediately recognisable.

That oddness is what made Golden Syrup distinctive; it challenged the conventions of typical condiment branding. Its current redesign, meant to really feel cleaner and extra ‘up to date’, softened the model’s edge. However the end result was backlash, disappointment and the sensation {that a} piece of British cultural id had been misplaced. By sanding off the visible friction, the model had additionally sanded off what made them stand out.

An identical story performed out with the current Cracker Barrel rebrand within the US. The model simplified its brand, eradicating the seated ‘Previous Timer’ determine in entrance of the barrel, firming down the typography and customarily smoothing away outdated Americana quirks.

However model followers – together with President Trump – felt like one thing important had been misplaced. The unique brand had been a richly nostalgic marker, one thing that spoke of shared heritage and rustic attraction, however the feeling was that it had now grow to be simply one other ‘country-style’ wordmark. In modernising, the model had inadvertently stripped away the very imperfections and historical past that made it stand out. After the restaurant’s inventory fell by 10%, the chain introduced that it will restore the outdated brand and shelved its inside redesign plans.

The Answer: Constructive Friction 

A number of the world’s most resonant manufacturers perceive that with creativity and braveness, you may stand out from the group and construct robust model recall in addition to market share.

Monzo  

Manufacturers that search to remove all friction danger commoditisation. Contemplate the fintech class. Smooth apps, minimalist interfaces, pastel color palettes – many manufacturers now feel and look the identical. This lack of differentiation could win usability factors, however it might contribute to buyer turnover. Loyalty, in spite of everything, isn’t constructed on homogeny.

Distinction this with Monzo and its coral-coloured debit card – its boldness turned a bit of bodily stand-out in a digital-first sector. As a model, it’s distinctive in wallets, sparks recognition, and makes the model current in on a regular basis life. It has since grow to be one of the vital recognisable banking manufacturers within the UK, with its daring color selections and strategic advertising and marketing resulting in a 31% enhance in prospects in 2023 alone.

Sofitel  

We had the privilege of working with this luxurious resort model in 2024. Once they got here to us seeking to reinvigorate their model, we might see that the present interpretation of French-ness was heavy on cliché. We would have liked to reframe ‘French-ness’ or the ‘French joie de vivre’ as being about joyfully embracing the paradoxes central to French tradition – specifically, that of custom versus riot. This then helped create the framing ideas that permit Sofitel to precise its French-ness in a approach that feels new and related. Whereas it might be a extra delicate instance, this friction is what helps to set Sofitel aside within the generic luxurious resort area.

Seedlip  

Seedlip is a superb instance of a class disruptor persevering with to create optimistic friction by branding. The world’s first non-alcoholic spirit, it broke all the principles in its class with packaging that feels extra aligned to the posh spirits class than the non-alcoholic class – botanical-inspired art work, earthy tones and premium supplies. Since its 2015 launch, the model has doubled down on its disruptive ethos, inflicting friction out on this planet with its promoting in addition to on the shelf. Seedlip was acquired by alcohol large Diageo in 2019 – proof of the model’s game-changing innovation within the non-alcoholic drink area.

Marmite 

After which there’s the icon of optimistic friction, Marmite. Its whole proposition is constructed on divisiveness – most notably embraced in its ‘Find it irresistible or hate it’ slogan, adopted in 1996. Marmite’s genius lies in embracing its edge fairly than smoothing it off – not dangerous for a product that’s basically a yeast extract sandwich unfold.

Marmite has used the pure model friction discovered within the robust flavour of its product to its branding benefit. From “Find it irresistible or Hate it” to the 2017 Gene Challenge marketing campaign, which provided a DNA take a look at to show whether or not or not persons are born with the ‘gene’ to want the style of Marmite, the model has frequently proven its bravery in leaning into this friction and utilizing humour and wit to take action in a memorable approach. Finally, the success of those sorts of campaigns is mirrored within the numbers, like First Timers, which noticed 1.6 million folks attempting Marmite for the primary time.

Why Constructive Friction Works 

Constructive friction engages extra of the senses. It jolts folks out of autopilot, forces consideration, and creates tales price retelling. In a C-suite context, that interprets into three tangible benefits:

1. Pricing energy: When a model feels distinctive, it’s usually in a position to justify a better worth level. That is partially as a result of concept that distinctiveness alerts each exclusivity and high quality. A model that leans into which means and emotional connection can be one which’s much less prone to fall into the commoditisation lure and discover itself competing on worth alone.
2. Retention and lifelong worth: Stickiness creates loyalty by memorability and model recall; it additionally drives belief. In the event you’re in a position to lodge your model within the minds of shoppers – significantly in a approach that feels emotive – you’re extra prone to be entrance of thoughts for them on the level of buy.
3. Cultural relevance: Manufacturers with edge invite dialog. Marmite isn’t simply consumed; it’s debated, shared and memed. In an consideration economic system, friction fuels amplification.

So how do you introduce a stage of friction into your individual model?

The C-Suite Calculus: The place to Easy and The place to Snag 

For CEOs and model leaders, the problem is realizing the place friction is constructive whereas recognising the place it may be damaging. Seamlessness is vital for areas strongly related to consumer expertise – digital checkout, security, fundamental usability. Constructive friction belongs in branding, the place you wish to sign character, spark emotional reactions, or create neighborhood.

At Conran Design Group, we use a easy framework when advising shoppers:

1. Outline your signature snag – Establish the one friction level that tells your story. For Sofitel, it was a brand new tackle Frenchness. For Marmite, it was divisiveness. What’s yours?
2. Measure the moments – Deal with these friction factors as property. Check their influence on NPS, retention and social shareability. Don’t simply measure effectivity, measure memorability.
3. Strain-test the sting – Push your model pressure till it virtually feels uncomfortable. If it feels too clean within the boardroom, you’ll seemingly be invisible available in the market.

Don’t danger being invisible 

As leaders, we’re usually tempted to clean the trail: friction seems like inefficiency and inefficiency seems like danger. However the better danger for manufacturers in the present day is invisibility.

By deliberately designing moments of optimistic friction into your model and model expertise, you give folks causes to recollect, return and reinvest.

Written by Thom Newton. Have you ever learn?
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