Rewind to 2nd January, it was a pretty gloomy Tuesday morning and I was commuting into the office for my first day back after the Christmas break. I was in one of those moods where I didn’t know what to listen to, I didn’t want anything too loud or upbeat, and I didn’t want to listen to anything too relaxing and deep.
My brain wasn’t really ready for music yet - I needed a podcast. Flicking through Spotify podcast charts and categories, I stumbled upon something I’d watched YouTube clips and shorts of, but had never listened to in full.
I selected my first episode and minutes later I was hooked!
For those that love music and the stories behind great albums, I recommend you go and check it out (If you haven’t already that is).
Tape Notes is centred around music stories for fans and musicians, but it’s a great listen for anyone working in the creative field, and many of the discussions have really resonated with me.
I love uncovering the vulnerable side of musicians and producers, hearing how before a great song came along, there were countless other versions, alternative sections and arrangements, and demos that never made the cut. An extreme example came from Dan Snaith, better known under his alias Caribou, who created around 900 songs, to end up with a 12 song album.
In one episode, host John Kennedy spoke with DJ Shadow, an artist that thrives to stand out from the crowd. Many artists create songs to fit the mould of a genre, but instead DJ Shadow is focused on creating hybrids - producing music that he feels is fresh, fusing multiple inspirations together from a wealth of references. Touching on the unexpected, and reviving forgotten techniques and styles from yesteryear. And even when he references the past, he’s careful not to be so literal, he wants his work to sound new, and create something that’s uniquely his own.
Everything looks and sounds the same 🐑
It’s becoming easier and easier to become a creator, as technology has become more and more accessible. YouTube and TikTok tutorials have replaced magazines, courses and books, allowing audiences to get answers fast, and sharpen their tool kit at lightning speed.
And on top of that, the robot has entered the chat, as finish line sprinters head to AI to replace craft and skill, finding cheats and shortcuts to create content instead.
We need to keep the soul, the heart, the human touch! And we need to keep art alive with true original ideas and thoughts, innovations and breakthroughs, moments of genius and fresh perspectives.
Whenever we’re creating anything, we should be taking a step back and asking ourselves - ‘is this different enough?’, and ‘are we contributing anything new, or are we just adding to the noise?’
When creating Marketing content, it’s far easier to look at what similar businesses and marketers around you are creating and replicate it, than it is to break the mould and dare to stand apart from the pack. I head to LinkedIn and I’m met with a wasteland feed of regurgitated memes, borrowed tips and ‘hacks’, and recycled campaigns.
Just one quick scroll and I’m served the same stories I was six months ago - something about TikTok being the next search engine, something about national awareness days as ‘reactive’ PR opps, a post about the rise of AI, an augmented reality out-of-home display, and another dream job campaign.
Look outside of your circle 🔭
If you look to the same sources of inspiration as everyone else in your industry or field, how can you expect to create anything new? Broaden your horizons, embrace curiosity and allow yourself to be open to new things and new possibilities.
A psychedelic rock band could listen to k-pop, opera, and jungle. An Indian chef could study classical French, Taiwanese, and Nigerian cuisine. And a TV Drama Director might watch Japanese Horror B-Movies, Spaghetti Westerns, and Casey Neistat vlogs. The inspiration sources are endless!
Don’t look at your competitors' activity and create something similar for your brand just because everyone else is doing it. Instead look at your competitors and think - ‘What can I do to stand out and be different?’
Make more time for thinking 🎨
I’m not a big fan of organised fun, and I’m definitely not a fan of organised creativity either, especially when rules are involved! Yes, there will be things to consider and ideas will need to tick boxes and be relevant to your brand, but don’t box yourself/ other people in with a brief that’s too contained and formatted.
My best ideas come to me when I’m on a walk, commuting on the train, or in the shower! Keep a notepad handy or create an endless list of notes on your phone like I do, and write/ sketch your ideas down when they arrive in your mind.
If you’re holding an ideation session, give your contributors a few subjects to think about for a pre-meeting activity, but don’t force them to bring XX ideas along, if any at all. Create a safe environment for sharing ideas where there’s no such thing as a bad idea, and ensure everyone’s input is acknowledged and considered.
There’s a great analogy I’ve heard Ed Sheeran and John Mayer speak about;
‘When you switch on the dirty tap, shit water is going to flow out for a substantial amount of time. Then clean water will start to flow out.” — Ed Sheeran”
The idea is to get all of the ideas out of your system, expecting that the first ones are likely to be inadequate, but eventually once you get past the rubbish, the gold will follow.
Another way of putting it is - throwing paint off a wall to see what sticks.
When setting up your ideations, choose people from a range of different backgrounds, with an eclectic mix of interests, personalities, and experiences. Allow people to contribute to/ finish each other’s ideas, and you’ll…
