When Simple Is Difficult

Lately I’ve become obsessed with the concept of simplicity. I’ve discarded all the clutter from my bedroom, I wear solid black t-shirts, and I strive to take out all the little details that create mess and confusion in my life. From a professional standpoint, I have attempted to keep all my advertisements and marketing designs simple as well, giving the “consumer” just enough information to understand the message and take the next action.

The problem I’ve encountered is that simplicity isn’t always that simple. From an outsider’s perspective its easy to appreciate a clean, straightforward design. Google’s homepage is beautiful. The iPad turns a consumer product into a fashion statement. But try putting yourself in their shoes for a moment. Google has hundreds of products in its suite, and a vast majority of them aren’t prominently displayed on the home page. The iPad could easily have a camera button, menu button, touchpad and other hot spots to make it more convenient for consumers.

Keeping products and media simple can be a nightmare for designers. On one side of the equation, consumers are looking for clarity without noise. Conversely, companies and brands are afraid of leaving out important details. As the middle man, its an interesting challenge for me to create effective designs that create a mutual satisfaction between both parties. These designs are the ones that result in big results, and are the “high” that all marketers strive to reach.