Lights are blinking, a Smartphone buzzes, a new notification on the iPad comes through, another call comes in, faint music is in the background, email notification, these are just examples of distractions that seem to occur in what often feels like a five-minute timeframe. With technology controlling every bit of our attention, isn’t it rejuvenating to view design that is simplistic? Simplicity works because it does just that; it’s simple and does not require a lot of energy to understand. Two examples of successful simple design include our good friends at Apple and Starbucks.

1. Apple

We have all seen the simplistic Apple logo that beautifully acts as the celebrity for the brand. But have you also noticed the packaging that your products arrive in? Apple’s packaging involves a beautiful (and simple) white box with a picture of the product inside. This leaves no confusion for what to expect and added design elements don’t take away from the beauty of the product. This design piece (and style) has been working successfully for them for years and is also reflected in their website and marketing materials.

2. Starbucks

In 2011, the ever-popular coffee giant Starbucks, embraced the simplicity of design when they cut back on several design elements (and name) in their logo. What at the time seemed like a huge design failure is now widely accepted and praised for the simplicity. This simplistic logo styling has also encouraged several corporations to follow suit with their own branding.

As the saying goes, less really is more.

R2F Creative LLC provides graphic design + branding and web design solutions for clients nationwide and locally in Ankeny and Des Moines, Iowa.