Embracing friction

We live in a society brimming with the promise of a frictionless fantasy, from online shopping experiences to ordering services, fuelling us with the myth that a frictionless world is ideal. But friction is crucial for advancement. And in business, friction of opinions can ignite true creativity.

At Sid Lee, some of our most impactful marketing campaigns and brand experiences, such as POW, Cheekbone Beauty, and North Face walls are meant for climbing and have friction at their core: a deep human truth that can sit in an uncomfortable spot.

However, welcoming friction in the process has a cost. Before these ideas were turned into success stories, they faced skepticism, resistance, and the discomfort of challenging the status quo. And with today’s harshening context, brands must be brave if they want to win. A kind of bravery that cherishes friction and debate and sees moments of tension not as obstacles but as gateways to progress. 

Yet, fostering such creative tension is difficult when we live in our bubbles, trapped within the echo chambers that surround us in both our personal and professional lives. Thanks to algorithms, our online life, teeming with self-serving content, is often curated to reflect ourselves. This lack of diversity of views is detrimental to atypical thinking and tends to tone down friction rather than welcome it.

The remedy? A deliberate effort to break out of these bubbles and engage with the real world. Consider Sid Lee Architecture, they’ve reinvented consumer research with "les consultations citoyennes," (community consultations) uniting architects, citizens, and promoters in what we could jokingly call a rather explosive ‘focus group’. This level of ‘frictionful’ collaboration, amidst diverse, if not divergent interests, not only leads to social adhesion, it actually engages the communities and creates better urban spaces for people to live in.

In the same way, brands need to invest time and resources in having genuine conversations with consumers about the things that truly matter to them, rather than superficially gauging their affection for a product or service - much like the character CC Bloom from the 1988 movie Beaches : "But enough about me, let's talk about you... what do you think of me?".  

To nurture a culture of innovation, businesses must encourage the clash of ideas, create spaces where debates can flourish, and celebrate plurality rather than dismiss it. Embracing friction is not just about seeking conflict for its own sake (though we love that in Succession), but about recognizing and harnessing the transformative power of diverse perspectives in driving atypical and impactful outcomes. So here’s to friction. Who’s in?

— By Geraldine Tixier, VP, Head of Strategy, Sid Lee