time. Theres an emptiness out there, and I believe I can do something about easing that pain."     The Anti-Madonna   Diamond and Madonna address branding in very different ways. Whereas Madonna focuses on constant evolution and change, Dia- monds brand promise is not to change. Not one to follow the latest trend, instead he defines what Time magazine calls the "Bandmaster of the Mainstream." Chalk it up to the familiarity of his voice and music and the simplicity of his lyrics and style, he provides an emo- tional safe haven for many generations of fans, especially in times of uncertainty and unrest. Simplicity is a key concept in understanding Diamonds mass ma d onna a nd n e i l d i a mond : s ex i n br a nd i ng | 191     appeal; it also is a primary reason some products are propelled to mass acceptance and others are not. Research indicates that the more complicated a new product or marketing message, the less likely consumers are to adopt it. Complexity intimidates customers, often keeping them from trying something new. In addition to fearing that they will not understand it and will therefore feel stupid, they also dont want to invest the time they perceive it will take to understand and use the product. In a nation in which half of the VCR clocks still flash 12:00, simplicity rules have affected the acceptance of technol- ogy options from microwave ovens to quadraphonic sound. The same holds true for branding and marketing messages. Ease or diffi- culty in understanding the basic benefit of a product and its relative advantage over competing options is the single most important de- terminant of new product success. Add complexity, research indi- cates, and the probability of failure increases dramatically. Simplicity sells to mass markets, whether the brand is a musician or a cheese. Diamond and Madonna each sing to a generation, connecting the values of their fans with their own values. Both sing about love and relationships (dont they all), but they approach them from different perspectives-Madonna sings from a contemporary, tough, female- powered, "Im in charge" point of view, and Diamond in a sensitive, old-fashioned, "Im in love" tone. Their values appear in the lyrics and mood of their songs. Listen to Diamonds hit single "America" and you can feel the emotion with which he sings about immigrants, like his grandparents, arriving on our shores via boats and planes to find "freedoms light, burning warm." Madonnas Life in America album is anything but patriotic, causing fans and audiences to protest the original version of the video, in which a grenade blows up a George W. Bush look-alike. Whereas Madonna seems to seek out controversy, Diamond shuns it, living and performing in ways that spotlight mainstream values. Believe it or not, the underlying commonality between these two performers is sex-more specifically, their sex appeal among fans. Though you hear more people use the words sex and Madonna in the same sentence, watch the reactions of the women at Diamond con- certs, and youll find that sexiness or sexuality is at the top of their collective minds. Diamonds sex appeal is different from Madonnas,