The Beatles’ school of creativity

For a bunch of working-class lads from Liverpool, the success the Beatles achieved in seven short years was nothing short of incredible. 54 years since their last album Paul, John, George and Ringo remain as iconic as ever. Over the years they have been copied, parodied, glorified and vilified in equal measure, documented and discussed. But let’s face it - never replicated. Like Haley’s Comet, the Beatles remain a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon. So what was their secret sauce? And as creative professionals is there something we can learn from the Fab 4?

Capture Inspiration Fast

The first few Beatles albums were recorded at lightning pace. One day one album, in and out. Ridiculous, right? Not really. Because the Beatles were first and foremost a ‘live act’. According to their long-time producer George Martin, “… early recording sessions were intended to recreate the mood of a live concert.” For many creatives, time is a precious commodity, something to be begged and bargained for. For The Beatles, it was quite the opposite. They worked fast, seeking to capture a creative idea in its rawest form before it evaporated. Were the songs on those early albums technically perfect? Far from it. Were they catchy and interesting enough to skyrocket them to worldwide fame? Yes. The learning is that while chiselling an idea to perfection is important, often there’s equal merit in working fast and finishing things. 

Build the Legend, Grow the Brand

From their hairstyles to the stories they generated around themselves, the Beatles remain a case study in self-branding. Something that many creative people are terrible at. The Beatles understood that the music only mattered if there was a complete package to go with it. In our industry, we often hear of the most talented people not getting their due. While there may be many reasons for this, I can wager a tidy sum on the fact that these “underrated creative folk” don’t know the first thing about self-branding. The Beatles teach us to think of ourselves as brands first and creatives later. The “hype” only makes your work that much more appealing. To put it another way, the creative product is what you do, your brand is how you are remembered. 

Kill the Formula

The Beatles scored a winning formula right off the bat. The songs they wrote spoke to the zeitgeist and the “act” they perfected was flawless. So why fix it if it’s not broken, right? Wrong. The Beatles understood that culture is always in a state of flux. What’s fresh today is yesterday’s news tomorrow. In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find two Beatles’ albums that are exactly the same. Every record feels like a new season in their lives with musical explorations ranging from eccentric to inspired. Many creative folk today, spend their entire lives searching for their ‘voice’. The one thing they can say or do that becomes their trademark. The greatest band in the world teaches us to focus instead on reinventing yourself. If you always keep your audience guessing, you will never have to ask for their attention.

This article is penned by Hayden Scott, Creative Head, VIRTUE Worldwide.

Disclaimer: The article features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the stance of the publication.