Spring Cleaning for Your Brand

Spring Cleaning for Your Brand

Call me crazy, but one of my favorite things about the end of winter is spring cleaning. I’m sure a lot of that is the graphic designer in me. Eliminating clutter is something I do on a daily basis. I happen to use a computer rather than a vacuum cleaner, but the effect is no less dramatic or effective.

Having been in COVID hibernation for the past couple of years, this season’s cleaning chores feel especially good. But doing a deep clean-up always tends to lighten the mood. 

Studies show that clutter also makes it difficult for the brain to focus and filter information. Ever tried to think of what song to play on Spotify or what to eat at the Cheesecake Factory? When we’re overwhelmed by choices, we tend to zone out or simply walk away.

The same is true for your advertising and brand messages. In trying to tell their story, many businesses make the mistake of trying to squeeze too much information onto the page. Whether it be text, graphics, or both, this approach will send people packing every time.

The clutter we face in our homes at winter’s end is reflective of the relentless barrage of messages we’re forced to deal with every day. Buy this, think that, donate here, advocate for that. It’s a lot to take in, so, as a survival mechanism, we tend to filter most of it out. And that makes getting your message to stick all that much more challenging.

Our solution? We call it “clarity by design.” “Little Prince” author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry said it best: “A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”

After removing every element that isn’t essential to the message you’re trying to convey, what remains is the clear, easily understood essence of that message. What also likely remains is open, inviting space that, in today’s overcrowded environment, clears up confusion and provides a real sense of relief, a breath of fresh air for the viewer.

Take a good look at your website and your marketing materials. If your key message doesn’t stand out clearly and get right to the point, it may be time to embrace this whole clarity by design thing and do a little spring cleaning!