The value of a simplicity strategy is that it can also be a growth strategy.
Brand leaders are increasingly tasked to chart courses through the unknown — artificial intelligence, quantum computing, new frontiers in space, the evolution of money and more. These frontiers promise growth, but are filled with complexity, volatility and confusion.
And while businesses are under pressure to innovate, they must be cautious.
Even in a sea of swirl and possible outcomes, there’s an enduring truth: When your brand comes across clearly and authentically, your customers intuitively understand and connect with you. This connection is the essence of simplicity in branding. Our World’s Simplest Brands report shows 76% of people are more likely to recommend a brand that delivers simple experiences, and brands that lead in simplicity outperform stock market averages by more than 200%.
Simplicity isn’t just good business; it’s human nature. From an evolutionary standpoint, our brains are wired to seek simplicity because it signals safety, clarity, and control in a complex world.
This is not about dumbing things down; it’s about refining what matters most to help people feel comfort. It’s a discipline that accelerates trust between brand and consumer.
The cost of complexity
In times when cultural sensitivities seem to shift weekly, and one misstep can become a headline, simplicity functions as a compass. It helps teams decide what to say, what to do and how to stay true to a brand’s core.
While speed is so often essential and rewarded, it heightens the risk of mistakes; then brands will be punished. One week’s innovation can become the next week’s controversy. Consumers expect brands to have an informed point of view, yet the risk of saying the wrong thing, or saying nothing at all, has never been greater.
In this environment, simplicity is more than a design principle. It clarifies purpose, sharpens decisions and provides consistency even as narratives shift. Brands need to scenario plan for multiple outcomes; keeping it simple is key to keeping consumers in the loop and surviving a reactionary environment.
Take CVS: The company took the risk of losing revenue by removing tobacco from its shelves, choosing to align its business with a higher purpose. The company looked inward to articulate its purpose and bring it to life through a simple, human expression — the heart logo. Relatable, welcoming and consistent, this became the cornerstone of a new category of health-focused retail. The results spoke for themselves: Purpose drove growth and simplicity made it resonate.
Making the unknown familiar
Whether branding the first personal quantum computer, helping a financial institution redefine loyalty or making crypto relatable to the mainstream, we’ve seen a clear pattern. The brands that endure are those that make the unknown feel familiar.
Partnering with Psiquantum, a pioneering quantum computing company introducing its first personal device, we were faced with an initial challenge. The technology was so advanced that it felt disconnected to most audiences. Through brand strategy and storytelling grounded in optimism, we reframed quantum not as intimidating science, but as a human story of potential and progress.
Similarly, when cryptocurrency platform Tether sought to evolve at the emergence of the industry, we helped it embrace a “hero and villain” brand narrative. By confronting public skepticism head-on with consumer-friendly branding and trusted messaging for unknown futures, we simplified its promise — trust, transparency and empowerment.
Familiarity builds trust and connection. When brands link innovation to human needs for safety and certainty, it’s how they transform ambiguity into understandable and change the game.
Simplicity as a growth strategy
The value of a simplicity strategy is that it can also be a growth strategy. Consider Disney+, which anticipated streaming fragmentation and unified its brand ecosystem with a single, iconic “+”. The symbol was more than a design flourish. It was a clear, intuitive way to communicate connection, ease and inclusion.
Or look at the timeless NBA logo. Born in 1969, its minimalist design captured the essence of movement and identity so powerfully that it not only differentiated the league but became a cultural icon.
Reframing the story
Simplicity reframes the narrative away from elitist portrayals of innovation and toward stories of human potential. When brands show what a technology or new category does for daily life, not just say what it is, they convert curiosity into action. Pharma companies are now using microgravity research to accelerate real-world breakthroughs. The connecting thread is not the novelty of the tech but the clarity of the promise, and the real-life impact.
In a world that rewards speed and punishes noise, standing for something simple is not a limitation; it’s a competitive advantage. Brands that distill complex promises into clear and authentic experiences will be the ones that endure. Own a clear promise, prove it with small, repeatable actions and let simplicity do the heavy lifting to build a connection.
Committing to simplicity requires rigor, discipline and the right partners to stay accountable and focused. It helps to frame difficult decisions with what matters most when resources are scarce.
Whether the goal is to drive valuation, transformation or to shape a distant future, a simplicity ethos will sustain your customers’ emotional connection through it all.
Disclaimer: CVS is a client of Siegel+Gale.
Dory Ellis Garfinkle, the author, is the CMO of Siegel+Gale.