Ken Segall worked closely with Steve Jobs as ad agency creative director for NeXT and Apple. He was a member of the team that created Apple’s legendary Think different campaign, and he’s responsible for that little “i” that’s a part of Apple’s most popular products. Segall has also served as creative director for IBM, Intel, Dell, and BMW. He blogs about technology and marketing at kensegall.com/blog,
I spoke to Ken about his new book, Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success, which comes out this Thursday. He talked about the impact Apple has had on our lives, what inspired the famous "Think Different" campaign, and more.
How would you summarize Apple's impact on our lives? What impact did it have on yours?
Revolution by revolution, Apple has helped ordinary people do extraordinary things. But the cumulative effect of Apple's revolutions have had a more far-reaching effect. The company has actually helped elevate the public appreciation of — and demand for — design and simplicity. In the process, it has changed the behavior of its customers as well as its competitors. As a business person, Apple proved to me the value of shunning traditional big-business practices, putting quality first, and "doing the right thing" — even if that choice is more costly in terms of time and money.
What inspired the 'Think Different' campaign and why do you think it was so effective as other ads weren't?
It was actually Apple's bleak outlook in 1997 that inspired the campaign. The company was close to bankruptcy. Steve Jobs had just returned and his first task was to bring back the spirit that had driven Apple to past glory. He wanted the world to know that Apple's values hadn't changed, and that great things lay ahead. I believe that what made the campaign so successful was that it was authentic. One could have hung a "Think different" sign up in the garage where the first Apple computer was born, and it would have been perfectly appropriate. Thinking different — and better — wasn't wishful thinking for Apple. It was an accurate expression of the company's soul. And, of course, the ads were perfectly simple: just a striking image and the words "think different."
Why do simplified products sell more than complex ones?
The preference for simplicity is an inextricable part of being human. Given the option, we'd all choose a simpler path over a more complicated one. Clearly this has been the thrust of product design since the dawn of civilization — finding a simpler way to achieve the same (or better) result. Any product that appeals to our built-in appreciation of simplicity has a leg up on the competition. When people say that Apple makes products we can "fall in love with," this is what they're talking about. As human beings, we get very attached to things that let us do more, with less effort.
What creative process occurs at Apple that translates into simple products?
Steve Jobs built simplicity into his products, but even more important, he built simplicity into Apple itself. He did this because he put the highest value on creative thinking, and didn't want to compromise ideas by creating committees or complicated internal processes. He squashed "big company" behavior whenever he detected it. Apple famously shuns focus groups and simply creates products that they themselves would love to use. They keep the process well contained and collaborative, constantly improving until they achieve perfection. As Steve Jobs described it, it's like "peeling away the layers of an onion" — working until they make the product beautifully simple.
What inspired you to write this book?
When people talk about Apple's success, they normally focus on the physical objects that Apple manufactures. As a customer, I too am captivated by the company's products. But over many years working with Steve, I realized that it was his devotion to the concept of simplicity that truly set Apple apart. I wrote my book because I believe most companies don't fully grasp the power of simplicity — the power to make great products, become more efficient, bring employees closer together and get closer to customers. In effect, Apple has turned simplicity into the world's mot powerful competitive weapon. This is a message that should be of value to any organization, in any industry.
Dan Schawbel is the managing partner of Millennial Branding, a Gen Y research and management consulting firm. He is also the #1 international bestselling author of Me 2.0 and was named to the Inc. Magazine 30 Under 30 list in 2010. Subscribe to his updates at Facebook.com/DanSchawbel.
