Simplicity gets a bad rap. Too often, it’s taken to mean obvious or basic. In part, it’s because so often the ideas we remember, the art that moves us, and the products we rely on are so well-crafted we think they must have come easily.
But easy to use can be hard to make. It’s well-known that Steve Jobs and Jony Ive at Apple pursued ruthless simplicity in creating intuitive, category-defining products. Bands like KISS and AC/DC built their multiplatinum careers on streamlined tunes that sounded just as good live as on their records. In professional and collegiate sports, the most dominant athletes and teams seem able to leverage a handful of competitive strengths into an insurmountable advantage. In nearly any domain, the most effective approaches aren’t any more complicated than they need to be.
If simple is better, why–and when–do we choose complexity?
We can dismiss simple ideas when they come quickly or from unexpected sources, telling ourselves they can’t be any good. We might favor complexity for the challenge of comprehending something inaccessible because of the status we think it confers. We can do it when we’re overwhelmed by the details or are confusing the data with the story. Or we may hide in complexity when we don’t want to admit that we lack a coherent story, strategy, or offer to communicate in the first place.
Simple holds us accountable because it gives our meaning fewer places to hide.
A simple idea, design, or strategy is not always easy to implement; in fact, it’s more difficult because it demands focus, prioritization, and trade-offs.
But it gives an idea a better chance to spread by not making your audience process more than they need to. The less of a load you give them, the farther they can carry it and the easier it will be to share with others.
Perhaps simplicity gets a bad rap precisely because it demands so much of us. It asks us to be clear about what matters, brave enough to cut what doesn’t, and disciplined enough to resist the urge to complexify. Simple isn’t easy — but it’s the best way to ensure your message can travel light and land hard.
Ben Hill is the senior director of marketing and communications at the University of Iowa’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Growth, and Brand Education
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