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March 8, 2006
Complexity in Motion/MSFT Repackaging: It's all my fault!!
Once again simplicity is shown to be both so powerful and so easy to stray from.
By now many of you have seen the recent spoof video that shows how Microsoft would transform the simple, powerful, elegant packaging of the iPod. It is all very innocent and well thought out but step by step turns into the equivalent of an in flight catalogue.
If you haven't check it out here. It is one of the funniest things ever on YouTube.
I have to say, this used to be one of my areas back at the big M and I totally know each step that took packaging down this path. And everyone was logical, well thought out and reasonable to the many committees of very smart people that looked at it.
Beyond the box, Engadget highlighted the wonderful array of versions of Windows Vista coming:
- Vista Starter
- Vista Home Basic
- Vista Home Premium
- Vista Business
- Vista Enterprise
- Vista Ultimate
Will be interesting to see the product selector application that ships with them.
Simple products should lead to simple messaging to simple packaging to simple offers to a simple purchase decision.
So remember:
- "Life is simple, but we insist on making it complicated,” Confusius
- Don't try to do too much. Less is more (thanks Simplessity, a really nice site on simplicity)
- Too many cooks ruins the soup (esp. in marketing, thanks Seth)
Posted by johnza at March 8, 2006 1:25 PM
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Comments
Hey, I remember seeing that video a few months ago... it was a truly great take on what goes wrong when a number of logical steps lead to a poor solution... As they used to say "a camel is a horse designed by committee"
It reminded me of a quote that I use with consulting clients alot.
"I wouldn't give a fig for the simplicity on this side of complexity; I would give my right arm for the simplicity on the far side of complexity."
-Oliver Wendell Holmes
All of the elements that were mentioned in the video should be taken into account... and yes things get complex at that point, but there is a simple solution waiting further along (at least that's what you have to believe)
"beyond complexity lies simplicity"
-Albert Einstein
JB>
Posted by: Jason Bates ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://marketingplaybook.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at April 27, 2007 1:31 AM
Similar case: Compare the home pages of Google and MSN.
Was it Wired that I read an article about the manager at Google who owns the home page, as simplistic as it is? But ownership brings focus and uncompromising style.
At M, I imagine that all those smart people and committees with great ideas, but no one owns or advocates for the home page as an entity.
I'd be interested to hear more about what it was like at the big M, especially regarding things like this.
Posted by: b2blog at March 9, 2006 5:49 AM
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