Bored before breakfast

Is ‘Less is more’ effective? More than ever?

I can’t remember the last time I read a cereal box.

When I check my phone in the morning, the first thing I notice—before emails, before my DMs, before the headlines that make me contemplate hiding under the covers—is the avalanche of brand messages.

They’re in the inbox. On the lock screen.

Even on the toothpaste I bought because a box told me it was “designed by dentists” and would grant me a Hollywood smile.

Death by a thousand words. And by 07:30, I’ve tuned most of them out. The problem isn’t information overload. The world contains more information than I could possibly consume and it always has done.

Here’s the problem: everyone is talking very loudly. Very few are saying anything meaningful.

In marketing this is especially boring. Every brand is desperate to tell you its values, its ethics, its new collab, its AI strategy, and why it’s more than just a product or service—it’s a ‘lifestyle.’

Brevity isn’t missed opportunity. It can be a sign of confidence.

The best brands know when to stop talking. Nike doesn’t need to explain what “Just Do It” means. Apple’s product shots are often so quiet they hum.

Great brand communication doesn’t fight for your attention. It earns it.

Can you say what you do in five words?

Can you explain your product without a manifesto? Can your homepage speak without yelling?

And if you think you can, then how about your customers?

So listen carefully

Take a moment to go back and listen to your gut. Speak to your customers (the kind of speaking that’s mainly listening). Never forget to listen to your most passionate critics. When someone hates you with a passion there is often space to find your next business advantage in their wrath.

If people are bored before breakfast, they’re unlikely to remember that carefully crafted purpose statement by lunch…