Interview: KPI Media CEO, Yashwin Naidu, on the Future of Marketing

KPI Media’s CEO, Yashwin Naidu, recently sat down with Onur from APAC Agencies, a curated directory featuring leading digital marketing, SEO, creative, and web service companies across the Asia Pacific region.

In this conversation, Yashwin shared his honest takes on today’s marketing trends—from AI to paid ads, creative strategy, and the common mistakes brands still make. As a performance marketing agency in Singapore, KPI Media sees these challenges firsthand, giving Yashwin a practical lens into what truly works (and what doesn’t).

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1. What’s one trend in advertising that’s overhyped, and one that’s under-appreciated?

According to Yashwin, influencer marketing is one of the most overhyped trends today. Many brands rely on influencers to compensate for weak ads, broken funnels, or poor targeting. But as he explains, “If your offer or funnel isn’t right, no influencer can save your campaign. You’ll just lose money faster—and in higher definition.” On the flip side, one of the most under-appreciated strategies is creative testing. Most brands spend 90% of their time producing ads and only 10% testing them. Yashwin believes this should be flipped.

The winning formula?
“Don’t aim for one perfect ad. Test ten decent ones and find the one your audience actually clicks with. Execution beats inspiration every time.”

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2. What’s the role of paid advertising in an early-stage startup versus an established company?

For startups, paid advertising is a validation tool—not a growth engine. Yashwin emphasises that early-stage brands should use ads to test audience segments, messaging, and offers quickly and cheaply. For established companies, the dynamics shift. Paid ads become an amplifier, helping them scale what already works.

The most common mistake Yashwin sees? Startups trying to behave like big brands too early.
“You can’t buy your way to product-market fit. You have to earn it first.”

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3. Between platform choice, budget, targeting, and creative—what matters most?

Yashwin’s answer is immediate: Creative. Every time.

“The ad creative is what stops the scroll. You can have the best targeting and a huge budget, but if the ad doesn’t resonate, you’re invisible.”

He adds that platforms and targeting help amplify results—but they can’t fix a weak creative. A strong concept paired with a clear offer will outperform even with average targeting.

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4. When would you not recommend running paid ads?

Paid ads only work when the foundation is solid. Yashwin advises brands not to run ads if:

• the product isn’t ready to sell,
  
  
• tracking is error, or
  
  
• the budget isn’t enough for proper testing.
  
  

He also warns against advertising when the market is too competitive or margins are too thin. In these cases, organic content or partnerships are better starting points. As a digital marketing agency in Singapore, KPI Media recommends investing at least S$5,000 per month to give campaigns enough testing room and the best chance of success.

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5. How is generative AI changing how you work, and where is it heading?

Generative AI is reshaping how KPI Media operates. Tasks that used to take hours—writing copy, brainstorming angles, or producing variations—now take minutes. But the next evolution goes beyond creation.

“In the next two years, AI will not just help create ads—it will help run them,” Yashwin predicts.

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This includes automated optimisations, real-time budget adjustments, and deeper performance analysis.

KPI Media is already investing in this future with proprietary AI tools such as:

• StockLibrary – AI-powered stock image generation for ads
  
  
• SocialWiz – AI-powered ad creative generator, from images to short videos
  
  

These tools are used internally and offered to all KPI Media clients as free value-adds.

As Yashwin sums it up: “Everyone will use AI. The real edge lies in who uses it better.”

Read the full interview here.

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