It’s no secret that attention spans are shrinking. In 2004, the average attention span on a screen was two and a half minutes; today it’s 46 seconds. Attention is at a premium these days, which is why some brands, like Apple and McDonald’s, are embracing simplicity and minimalism in their ads.
Quick Interests
Two of the most popular social media platforms are Instagram and TikTok, both of which focus on short-form video content and both of which have risen to prominence in the last decade. Consider these statistics: the average person watches short-form videos for one hour and 16 minutes a day; U.S. adults spend about 58 hours a month on TikTok; and Instagram Reels users spend 53 minutes per day on the app. Whether people want to or not, they spend a lot of time watching videos on these platforms.
There are neurological reasons behind these numbers. Researchers say that watching a 15-second video clip gives your brain small amounts of the reward chemical dopamine, which can form a habit. Brains are being rewired to crave instant satisfaction and speed. Simplicity is key here, something easy to grab onto. People are less likely to engage with complexity, especially when it comes to ads. The following two examples highlight that approach within their messaging.
McDonald’s Famous Orders
Earlier in the decade, the iconic fast-food giant McDonald’s released a 30-second ad highlighting celebrity food orders. The commercial highlights the choices of athletes like Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, and Magic Johnson, as well as musicians like Keith Urban. The ad even includes humorous orders, like a tray of ketchup packets for Dracula and a shake with two straws for Romeo and Juliet.
What makes this ad successful is its simplicity. All the visuals are the same, except for the food; there’s a table like you’d find at the restaurant, a jazzy version of the McDonald’s jingle playing in the background, and quick, frequent cuts with new food products popping in every 2–3 seconds. It’s an incredibly simple, easy-to-follow ad that’s sure to hook you.
The Apple Way
If there’s a company that really knows simplicity, it’s Apple. From introducing a touch screen cell phone without a physical keyboard to making computers that lack bulky operating towers, it’s a core virtue of their operations. It shows in their ad “Design is How it Works”. This commercial focuses on Apple’s products, and segues into each one with a design feature from another. For example, in one scene a user is drawing a heart around a rabbit’s head, and in the next scene, that heart turns into the heart used for their Health app on their watches and phones. One thing goes into another is the main idea here.
The simplicity in this ad comes from the quick cuts and the focus on a singular motif before moving into the next one. Even though the commercial covers a lot of ground, there’s a constant thread being sewn with the segues from one visual to another. Even with everything going on, it’s easy to follow, and the orchestral soundtrack helps to create a propulsive energy that pushes everything on.
The Simple Next Step
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