RESOURCES · E-NEWSLETTERS · THINK · JUNE 2006
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KEEP IT SIMPLE, GENIUSOkay, so here's the truth. Simple is hard. But in branding, the best solutions almost always are those demonstrating a brand promise through a compelling simplicity. And resisting the urge to fuss over an already powerful brand position is often the hardest task of all. (Watch this funny short video to see what we mean.) We must learn when to stop fussing. Branding is a hunt for the simple. The obvious and the true. That is the only way to create an emotional connection and engage your audience on multiple levels. Simplicity starts by stepping out of your own shoes and into those of your customer. Discover the world from their point of view. Because, in branding, just like in the rest of life, how we see ourselves usually isn't how others see us. Look at your messaging with a critical eye. Is it compelling? Or are you only paying attention because you are paid to do so? Remember, your customers don't owe you a thing. Just because you created a message doesn't mean they have to pay attention. And that is what you are asking them to do: pay. They pay with their time and with their effort. So if your brand is shouting something as blah as We're Better or We Are Everything, nobody is listening. Except, of course, those who were paid to do so. Every brand has a story to tell. A reason to be. Building a brand on those simple truths — and keeping it simple — is the big job. Doing it right brings big rewards. Rewards like connecting in real ways with your customers, giving them a reason to buy, driving sales and creating a competitive advantage. So let's all raise our coffee mugs in a toast to simplicity — the true test of any branding work we do. As jazz musician Charles Mingus once said, "Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple." |
