Why a little friction can make your brand unforgettable
There’s a strange quirk in human psychology: the more effort we put into getting something, the more we believe it’s worth having. Psychologists call it effort justification. The rest of us just call it “the things we’ll do for what we want.” It’s why people will wait in line for a doll even when the resale market makes it easier to just buy one later. The wait itself becomes part of the value.
Buying a bike
When I decided to buy a Canyon bike, I had the same experience. I knew the model, the size, the spec. I was ready. But when I went to order, my size was out of stock. I called. They told me new inventory drops on Monday. Very early. So that Monday, I was up at 5 a.m., coffee in hand, refreshing the page like a man trying to buy his way into happiness. When I finally clicked “order,” it felt less like a transaction and more like a small victory. The bike was the same one I could have bought any other way. But because I had to work for it, it felt different.
Westvleteren and the phone call lottery
Ask any beer enthusiast and they’ll tell you: Westvleteren 12 isn’t just a Trappist beer, it’s a quest. You can’t stroll into a shop and pick up a six-pack. Once upon a time you had to call a special number, at specific times, and hope to get through. If you did, you were assigned a date and time to collect your order directly from the abbey. And that’s exactly why people who’ve made the trip talk about it with the same pride as completing a marathon. The beer itself is exceptional, but the story of getting it is part of the flavour.
Why friction works in marketing
In a world where most brands compete on convenience, removing friction is the default instinct. Make it one-click. Make it instant. But friction, when used deliberately, does something convenience can’t: it creates meaning. It signals that what’s on the other side is worth waiting for, working for, even struggling for.
Invite-only beta access, curated membership lists, “apply to buy” forms they all use the velvet rope effect. The obstacle is the proof. It flips the logic of sales: instead of please buy this, the message becomes we’ll see if you’re the right fit. And when people make it through, they value it more.
The danger of fake velvet ropes
Of course, there’s a fine line between meaningful friction and manufactured hassle. Make it too artificial and it feels like manipulation. Make it too frustrating and people give up. Westvleteren can pull it off because the scarcity is real: the monks brew only enough to support their abbey. The friction is backed by truth.
Earning your place
Effort justification works because people need their actions to make sense. If they’ve waited, worked, or fought for something, they will convince themselves it was worth it and they’ll defend that belief to others. The challenge for marketers is to design experiences where that effort is real, fair, and aligned with the value you deliver.
Because the right kind of friction doesn’t slow people down. It pulls them closer. And when they finally get through the door (or pull up to the abbey gates) they’re not just customers. They’re believers.
