New Delhi, Aug. 31 -- Marketing today is louder, faster and more omnipresent than ever. Yet, paradoxically, it has never been more forgettable. Scroll through any feed and campaigns blur together. All have polished visuals, earnest voiceovers, purpose-driven taglines. Almost all are indistinguishable.

This is what I call karaoke marketing. It hits the notes, but lacks soul. It is loud, enthusiastic, often off-key, and most importantly, unoriginal.

It mimics rather than imagines.

The tragedy is that karaoke marketing rarely comes from incompetence. Some of the brightest creative minds and seasoned marketers are behind it.

What drives it is not lack of skill, but a fear of standing out in an environment that rewards conformity, a fear o...