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Great branding has a certain simplicity to it. That’s not to say that it is simplistic. Or that it lacks depth. Rather, great branding is the result of being able to distill the essence of the brand down to one simple thought expressed in a way that reveals depth of meaning.
There is a quote attributed to Albert Einstein: Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. This thought emphasizes the power of simplifying. But also, it recognizes that we shouldn’t simplify to the point where we lose meaning. We should be wary of simplifying just to be simplifying.
Why it’s challenging
Making something simple runs counter to how the world operates. For starters, we are obsessed with abundance. “More” is often equated with “better”.
On top of that, we are not wired to simplify. When challenged to improve something, our natural tendency is to think about what we can add. It takes effort and discipline to think instead of what we could subtract.
Subtraction isn’t just about taking things away. It’s about making conscious choices about what to leave out, what silence to create, and what space to allow. It’s understanding that sometimes what you leave out is just as important as what you put in. It’s a philosophy that applies to everything from art and design to productivity and…
