The Rolling Stones were key players in the 1960s British Invasion. Along with The Beatles and scores of other bands, they electrified audiences in the UK before making their mark in the U.S. and dominating the music charts.
Back then, the Stones would routinely get into disagreements with each other, often about their songwriting. Truth is when they were founded, they were a cover band—they performed their own versions of classic “blues” songs. They were not considered serious songwriters, like their competitors and archrivals, The Beatles.
In fact, leaders Mick Jagger and Keith Richards approached The Beatles’ John Lennon and Paul McCartney to inquire if there were any songs they’d be happy to give to the Stones. Lennon offered up the song “I Wanna Be Your Man,” and the Stones turned it into a hit, spurring them on to write their own tunes. (Side note: Lennon later admitted he thought “I Wanna Be Your Man” was, in his words, “trash,” which is why, when The Beatles recorded it later, their weakest singer, Ringo Starr, sang it.)
Ok, now back to the fighting Rolling Stones. These hard-headed, opinionated bandmates decided they needed an independent third party to decide which original songs were worth recording and which were not. So, one of them said, “Lads, it’s off to the pub.”
They grabbed their guitars, strolled down the street, and stepped into a pub where a local band was playing. As soon as the famous Stones sauntered in, the music stopped, and they were received like royalty, quickly ushered onto the stage with a standing ovation. They performed three of their songs—the very ones they had been arguing over. To their surprise, the song they were sure would be a hit fell flat. And another song that was a source of disagreement because some members felt the bass player was playing the wrong notes, was loved. That song, “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” went on to be one of their biggest hits. From then on, the Stones often relied on “pedestrian ears” (average people) to help identify the magic and genius in their songs.
Myopia is very real in the business world. Many of us are far too close to see the beauty in what we do or make, but if you ask an independent party to share their opinion, prepare to be surprised. At first, the iconic motorcycle brand Harley-Davidson didn’t fully appreciate the roaring sound their engines made until a foreign competitor attempted to imitate it. Brilliantly, their leaders trademarked Harley’s thunder, and, to this day, it’s the brand’s recognizable “calling card” as its motorcycles approach you on the road.
Perfection is not interesting or differentiating. The “wrong notes” that the Rolling Stones’ bassist was playing may have been “incorrect,” but they had an allure. It would’ve been a mistake to delete them in favor of “proper notes.” Copper rod producer SDI LaFarga uses recycled copper (instead of pure ore mined from the earth) to manufacture many of its products, and for years, it charged a lower price for them. It wasn’t until the company realized how highly customers valued the sustainability of its products that it began pricing them for their true value.
Don’t confuse superiority with differentiation. In the late 1960s, NASA was focused on landing a man on the moon, but first, they needed to “market” the astronauts to gain support and funding. Rather than focusing on who was the best pilot or had the highest education, they shared more personal aspects, like the astronauts’ families, hobbies, and hometowns, which truly made a difference and resonated with the world.
We’re all too close to see what we’re doing that is unique or distinctive. It’s a smart move to invite others to view your brand and product from their standpoint. They just might discover something brilliant that you had considered eliminating. We all need to visit our pub for inspiration.
