“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” is a phrase often attributed to Leonardo da Vinci.

And there’s a lot of joy in simple. Everyone has something that springs to mind when they think of a simple pleasure – it could be that first cup of tea in the morning or those first daffodils popping up in early spring.

This focus of simplicity has been front of mind for me since The Traitors Season 3 started in early January. For those unfamiliar of the show, it is a game where a group of people try and suss out who the traitors are within the group. Interestingly, some non-traitors, called Faithfuls, lie from the beginning – two contestants lie about their profession, another putting on a fake Welsh accent to seem more trustworthy and avoid being seen as a traitor. Why make it hard for yourself, I kept thinking? Why complicate something that’s already hard?

Our weird relationship with “easy”

An article in Stylist early this year discussed our strange relationship with “easy”.

We often avoid the easy route, perhaps fearing it seems lazy. Modern society heralds “hard work” – we’ve had leaders boasting about thriving on little sleep, there is the TikTok trend 5-9am, the continuing rise of hustle culture – essentially all glorifying relentless effort and trying so hard every hour of the day. But sadly, that can lead to burn out and exhaustion.

Let’s change that. Easy isn’t lazy, easy can be the smart way forward that we sometimes need.

Simplicity is communications is powerful  

Not all challenges require complicated solutions.

In fact, something simple, executed very well, is often more powerful than an over-complicated communication strategy. We sometimes assume PR needs to have all bells and whistles to succeed, but is that true?

Not in all cases. When developing a PR and communications strategy and tactics with a focus on simplicity, we consider these three questions:

Who is your audience, and who’s the priority?

Most organisations have multiple stakeholders, and they’ll have different needs, and be found in different places. Trying to cater to all can scatter efforts. Prioritising your audience types helps simplify and uncomplicate a programme.

What is your objective and how does that lead to broader business success?

Big goals often require smaller, achievable steps. Remember the classic question – how do you eat an elephant? Bit by bit. The same applies to communications, break down goals into manageable pieces to simplify execution.

What makes you unique? What do you want to be known for?

A clear understanding of your uniqueness will mean you can create clear, effective and simple messages to weave into all your comms. And there’s a balance with key messages – too many and it’s confusing; too few feel monotone. Aim for three to five core messages with plenty of proof points to add colour to your storytelling.

Getting to “simple” and “easy” often takes reflection, but the time spent is an investment that pays off.

Let’s celebrate the uncomplicated

We deserve “easy”. Let’s embrace simplicity this year. The general business backdrop already feels tough for many organisations, so where we can choose “easy”, let’s go for it, knowing it can often play out better.

That was true for the Traitors – and spoiler alert if you haven’t finished watching season 3. The contestant with the fake Welsh accent tried to be too clever at the end and that was her undoing. Sometimes, the smartest move is also the simplest one!