• NY Times, Thursday, January 12, 2006 12:31 PM

Marketers are discovering that when it comes to advertising, simple is better. The latest company to join the trend is the financial services company the ING Group, which is launching a new campaign this week with the theme, "Your future. Made easier." Tricia Conahan, senior vice president for brand marketing at ING, said a Roper survey commissioned by the company revealed that 75 percent of respondents wished financial services were easier to deal with. "And that frustration is a barrier to entry," she said. "This is a relaunch of ING in the U.S. marketplace around a new brand promise of 'easier,' which resonates strongly with consumers." Other companies are going a similar route. Citibank recently introduced a Simplicity credit card with ads that humorously demonstrate how better customer service makes life better. Also, one of the most successful magazines published by Time Inc. is called Real Simple, which is promoted with the phrase "Life made easier." And Staples is pitching itself to shoppers with a campaign carrying the theme "That was easy."

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