SBR 64: Why Simplicity Beats Cleverness in Marketing

After decades leading campaigns for brands like Heineken, Arla and Weetabix, there’s one lesson I’ve seen prove itself again and again: Simple wins. Every time.

In marketing, it’s easy to equate complexity with intelligence. We’re surrounded by strategy decks, frameworks, and the pressure to be clever. So we layer on extra features, extra messages, extra channels – hoping to impress. But more often than not, “more” gets in the way. Because while you might live and breathe your brand, your audience doesn’t.

They’re busy. They’re distracted. And blunt truth they don’t care as much as you do.

What they do respond to is clarity.

That treats your reader with respect. You’ve spent the time thinking, so they don’t have to.

Simplicity is a Strategic Advantage

The human brain craves simplicity. We’re cognitively lazy by design – it helps us make faster decisions in a noisy world. So when your campaign nails one clear idea and repeats it consistently, it works.

The most effective campaigns I’ve worked on weren’t the most sophisticated. They were the most focused.

At Arla, performance soared when we aligned the entire team behind a single message: dairy’s natural nutritional benefits. That clarity sharpened every piece of comms and made the media budget work harder.

At Weetabix, our most impactful creative simply reminded people that “a great (Weetabix) breakfast sets you up for the day.” A single idea. Repeated often. It cut through the clutter and built long-term brand equity.

Simplicity Is Not the Same as “Basic”

Let’s be clear: simple doesn’t mean dumbed-down. It means being disciplined. Ruthlessly so. It means stripping away anything that doesn’t serve your central idea.

Before launching any campaign, ask yourself:

• Can we express our message in one compelling phrase?

• Does every element – from media to packaging to POS – support that idea?

If the answer’s no, you’re doing too much.

Marketing That’S UNDERSTOOD IS Marketing That WORKS

Your audience shouldn’t have to work to understand what you’re trying to say. When you respect their time and attention, you earn the right to be remembered. Because in a world of endless scroll and short attention spans, the brands that win are the ones that cut through – not the ones that try to say everything all at once. So next time you’re tempted to add “just one more message,” pause.

Then simplify.

Then simplify some more.

Focus on one powerful truth. Execute it with excellence. And trust that simplicity, not complexity, is your strongest asset.

Need help bringing clarity to your brand strategy?

Big Black Door helps FMCG brands sharpen their message and streamline their comms for maximum impact. Get in touch to find out how.