A Manifesto for Minimalism: 'It’s not about saying less. It’s about saying what matters'

As part of Creative Salon's look into the trend of minimalism in advertising, creative agency chiefs gave their takes on the allure of the strategy. Offering his insight is Richard Denney, co-chief creative officer of St Luke's.

“Please forgive the long letter; I didn’t have time to write a short one.” ― Blaise Pascal

Creative Salon: Why has minimalism become such a popular strategy for major brands?

Rich Denney: Because it works. Minimalism cuts through and forces clarity. In a world stuffed with scrolls, swipes, wallpaper, and noise, saying one thing well is more powerful than saying ten things badly.

The most successful brands don’t use minimalism because it’s trendy. They use it because it delivers. It respects the audience’s time and intelligence. It puts the brand idea front and centre, where it belongs, and the most confident marketeers know it's a winning formula.

It’s not about saying less. It’s about saying what matters.

Dieter Rams, the designer Jonny Ive cites as his biggest influence, puts it well: “Good design is as little design as possible. Less, but better - because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity."

Is a minimalist strategy something more brands can and should adopt – or is it restricted to blue chip brands that can afford it?

Minimalism isn’t a luxury. It’s a mandate.

It shouldn’t depend on the size of the budget. It should survive in spite of it. Simplicity isn’t about spend. It’s about saying more, with less.

Related to the above – how do/should creatives select what to include and what not to?

It’s not just down to the creatives. The best work isn’t born through isolation, it’s shaped, backed, and protected by everyone. Planners. Media. Account teams. Clients. If everyone’s aligned on the one thing that needs to be said, right from the off, there’s less chance of it being watered down or filled full of crap later. Creative comes into its own with the craft. But the conditions for brilliance? They’re set the moment you all agree what matters.

It also depends where your audience is in the purchase journey. If we’re interrupting their day, we need to be single minded to earn their attention. But if they’ve already shown interest in your brand, then they’ll be receptive to spending more time with it.

Why does it seem to work best in OOH? Does it work more effectively elsewhere?

Out of Home has had a revival. In the last few years, it’s been embraced by brands that treat it with care, craft, and clarity. And it shows. But the danger remains, mistaking scale for opportunity. Just because the canvas is big doesn’t mean you have to fill it.

And there are still brands that treat OOH as a dumping ground adding more words, more logos, more noise. Space to burn doesn’t mean you should set it alight.

OOH is a beautiful format to play with. In a world full of noise, it can be the quietest thing on the street and the one that stays with you. A single line that makes you pause. An image that lingers. It also shouldn't just be considered as a poster space. When you open up the creative opportunity at the brief stage, you can earn attention, make headlines, and earn reach.

Beyond OOH? Apple is a great creative benchmark. The iconic 'Shot on iPhone' campaign demonstrates the power of simplicity in a well crafted way. Their films are also perfect product demos and are just as disciplined. Single-minded, beautifully executed, built on clarity and craft. Even the packaging is part of the story. The unboxing? It’s theatre, telling you before you’ve even switched it on, that the product is something special.