I have discovered that, at the age of 66, I’m at the leading edge of thinking.

I’m behaving like a Millennial.

I was drawn to a poster for Nigella Lawson’s new book ‘Simply’ because simplicity has been on my mind lately. I’m clearing my life of things I don’t need.

If I love it, or it has serious sentimental value or it makes my life easier it stays, if not, it goes.

For years people have been telling me to buy a second home, but why do I want another set of windows to paint, lawn to cut and bills to pay? If I want a house for the occasional weekend, I’ll rent one.

I’m looking for a simpler, less stressful life.

According to Blake Morgan, in Forbes magazine, Millennials don’t want possessions, they want experiences. Go to the concert, but don’t burden yourself with buying the album. If you want to hear it, go on Spotify. If you need to get around, use public transport or pick up a ZipCar.

Technology is feeling the pain too. We’re keeping things longer. According to the WSJ, we’re buying fewer televisions because we’re watching TV on our tablets and we don’t see the value in upgrading to the latest TV gizmo every few years. The growth in SIM only deals is because that new phone upgrade and costly contract isn’t as tempting as it was. Do you really need to pay top dollar for a slightly better phone?

Clearly, this shift towards simplicity will have a serious effect on what we buy and, from a designer’s perspective it will make for an interesting time. Great design has always been about editing out the stuff that’s not relevant. It helps people make decisions by giving brands and businesses clarity in a complex world.

It’s what we’ve just done for Lamb Weston a huge potato business in the cut throat world of food services. we’ve got it down to one thing – ‘Seeing possibilities in potatoes’. Bingo!

Of course, we’re just being Millennial. It is time for the marketing world to catch up, to cut out the complication and ask ‘What’s the one thing you want people to understand about your brand and how can you get it into the heads of a busy distracted population?

Author: Richard Williams