Insanely Simple

The Obsession that Drives Apple's Success

By: Ken Segall

Narrated by: Ken Segall

Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

To Steve Jobs, Simplicity was a religion. It was also a weapon.

Simplicity isn’t just a design principle at Apple - it’s a value that permeates every level of the organization. The obsession with Simplicity is what separates Apple from other technology companies. It’s what helped Apple recover from near death in 1997 to become the most valuable company on Earth in 2011.

Thanks to Steve Jobs’ uncompromising ways, you can see Simplicity in everything Apple does: the way it’s structured, the way it innovates, and the way it speaks to its customers. It’s by crushing the forces of Complexity that the company remains on its stellar trajectory.

As ad agency creative director, Ken Segall played a key role in Apple’s resurrection, helping to create such critical marketing campaigns as Think Different. By naming the iMac, he also laid the foundation for naming waves of i-products to come.

Segall has a unique perspective, given his years of experience creating campaigns for other iconic tech companies, including IBM, Intel, and Dell. It was the stark contrast of Apple’s ways that made Segall appreciate the power of Simplicity - and inspired him to help others benefit from it.

©2012 Ken Segall (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"A blueprint for running a company the Steve Jobs way...should be required reading for anyone interested in management and marketing." (The Times, London)

"Gets inside Apple’s branding and marketing to explain its directness and power." (Financial Times)

"Required reading." (The Observer)

Simplicity

I have been an Apple fan for many years, though not as many as most, finally being able to afford my first MacBook back in 2007. However after reading this book I earned not only a deeper appreciation of how Steve Jobs built and ran Apple but I feel even more compelled to stick with this iconic brand for as long as they are around. Which will probably be long then I am. This book should be required reading for every business man on earth and anyone wanting to go into business. This is the business revolution we have been waiting for.

Great book, and Cool Nareation

Justice done and served on this expose on Jobs ways. A book well written and excellently narrated.

super

very nice, thank you for the pleasure. very appreciate for the great book and great work on it

Better than the reviews I read..

What did you love best about Insanely Simple?

It has some great principles and a great core principle. It also has some interesting stories.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Steve Jobs

Any additional comments?

Better than the reviews I read - A lot of criticism about mentioning Steve Jobs a lot (which he does) but Apple and Jobs provide such a good example of what he's trying to put across.

Interesting book, Reinforces Simplicity

This book was an interesting listen and shows how simplicity is powerful, but it is also difficult to achieve. Whether you like Apple or not, it’s hard to knock their success and this book shows how they use simplicity to set themselves apart. AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY

Very enjoyable and insightful.

What made the experience of listening to Insanely Simple the most enjoyable?

This was a great book. I really enjoyed it. I am biased as a big fan of Apple and also President of an advertising agency. I do however think the principles of simplicity are well articulated by Ken and they can be applied to any business. The story also moves along well and is very engaging.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Insanely Simple?

When Ken decides to bring forward a colleagues idea which he knows is weak (to be nice) and it puts him in the difficult position of defending it when he does not believe in it.

Which scene was your favorite?

The repeated efforts to keep the name iMac.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No. It did make me want to apply the principles in the book to my business.

A bit boring considering the topic

This book reflects upon one of the greatest brands in history, Apple, and the creator of that brand, Steve Jobs. But personally I found it boring and finally bailed about half way through. It just didnt tell enough about the personalities behind the story...it was more factual about the work itself. I work in advertising so one would think I would find it interesting but all he did was express the creative process.

should have been an essay

It’s one main idea paraphrased over hours and hours of reading / or text. Apple was all about simplicity, while other companies are not.
There you have it, saved you 4h of listening!

Interesting if You're a Fan of Apple

Would you try another book from Ken Segall and/or Ken Segall?

Its hard to say. While I liked the content of the book, Ken Segall spends way too much time explaining and reminding us of:
1. Proximity to Steve Jobs
2. How long he worked with Steve Jobs
3. Basking in the after-glow of Steve Jobs

The intro and Chapter 1 was enough, we get it. Now get on with the actual "meat" of the book.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Insight into the Steve Job's mentality and the war stories of those who worked/lived with his "genius." The least interesting was the amount of time the author spent repeating how long and intimately he worked with Steve Jobs.

Content fit for a eulogy

Those who would like to hear an 8 hour eulogy to how awesome Steve Jobs was then this book is for you. I got a little tired of the idolizing of extreme immaturity and childish outbursts from an adult. If simplicity is what your looking for then you won't find much concrete advice here.