Simplicity Pays
Siegel+Gale, the global branding agency, launched the 2015 Global Simplicity Index, an annual survey that asks thousands of consumers on which brands are the simplest and which are the most complex.
They define simplicity as:
- Easy to understand
- Transparent and honest
- Making customers feel valued
- Innovative and fresh
- Useful
Being that simplicity is the firm’s core ethos, they make the business case of why it’s critical for companies:
- 214% – percentage that a portfolio of the world’s simplest brands has beaten the average global stock index since 2009
- 69% – percentage of consumers who are more likely to recommend a brand because it provides simpler experiences and communications
- 63% – percentage of consumers willing to pay more for simpler experiences
They explored this idea deeper in one specific digital experience—social media—and listed three opportunities for brands in how they can leverage simplicity:
- Entertain before you sell.
- Get noticed, but don’t disrupt.
- Explore social customer service.
In the US, the top three companies on the simplicity index were Google, Netflix, and Publix in that order.
The key takeaway:
Today, consumers live in a world of limitless choices. Brand experience is the road to their loyalty. Simplicity will get you there faster.