The Noise-Among-Noise Method
Earn attention by transforming an overlooked input
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 90%
When a crowded field makes conventional work invisible, research the dominant pattern and deliberately choose a different route. Cowell's example is a singer deciding not to copy a current recording: find an older song that could plausibly feel contemporary, rearrange it, and present a version with a distinct identity. The mechanism is not simply rebellion. Research reveals what everyone else is repeating and what valuable material has been overlooked; transformation makes that material relevant; audience response tests whether the difference is useful rather than merely strange. The immediate goal is to earn the first meaningful attention in a noisy market. Sustained success still depends on whether the differentiated work connects after curiosity has opened the door.
Origin
Extracted from The Diary of a CEO
Core principles
- 01Following the herd makes new work harder to notice
- 02Difference should come from research, not novelty alone
- 03Old inputs can feel new when transformed for the present
- 04Early attention is a test, not proof of lasting quality
How to run it
- 1
Audit the herd
List the conventions, formats, and inputs that most competitors are repeating.
Pro tip Look for sameness from the audience's point of view.
- 2
Research overlooked material
Search outside the current cycle for proven ideas, assets, or references that the market is not using now.
Pro tip Older material can be useful when its core appeal still travels.
Watch out Respect rights, attribution, and licensing requirements.
- 3
Transform the input
Rearrange, reinterpret, or reposition the material so the result has a clear point of difference rather than being a copy.
- 4
Test for attention and fit
Measure whether the distinctive version earns attention and whether the intended audience stays engaged after noticing it.
Pro tip Track both initial response and follow-through.
Watch out Attention without audience fit is a false positive.
- 5
Refine without converging
Use response to improve the work while preserving the element that makes it recognizable and different.
Watch out Do not optimize the work back into category sameness.
In the wild
Cowell advises an artist covering a song not to copy the original. His suggested route is to research a song written decades earlier that could feel recent, then rearrange it so the result stands apart from what other artists are uploading.
→ The transformed choice gives the artist a clearer chance to earn initial attention in a crowded market.
Common mistakes
Copying the current winner
Imitation places the work inside the same undifferentiated noise it needs to escape.
Confusing novelty with value
Being unusual may earn a glance, but the result still has to work for its audience.
Is it for you?
Best for
Creators and marketers whose competent work is being ignored because it resembles everything around it.
Not ideal for
Work that is different only for shock value or lacks enough quality to retain attention.
From the transcript
“You've got to make noise amongst the noise.”
From the episode
Simon Cowell Opens Up About His Heartbreaking Loss, "losing them was the hardest thing that happened to me"!