Apurv Singh: Building Brands That Perform And Resonate (Top Marketing Educator, Founder HQ Digital with 207K followers)

Apurv Singh Interview

Marketing isn’t just about selling, it's about solving the right problem with the right story.

Q. Apurv, you've worked with global giants like Spotify, Adidas, and Amazon-can you walk us through your journey and what led you to marketing at this scale?

Absolutely. My journey into marketing wasn't linear, it was driven by obsession. I've always been fascinated by why people click, buy, scroll or stop. Over the last decade, I've gone from helping small startups survive to scaling performance campaigns for giants like Spotify and Adidas.

It started with curiosity and the hunger to get real business results. I didn't come from a typical agency background. I worked across multiple brands, across geographies, and I was always hands-on. That's how I built HQ Digital, not just as a consulting firm, but as a lab where strategies are tested on live businesses every day. The scale happened naturally when results started speaking louder than credentials.

Q. What do you believe distinguishes a good marketing strategy from a truly great one in today's saturated digital space?

A good strategy makes noise. A great one builds memory. In today's sea of sameness, great marketing doesn't just chase conversions, it builds conviction. It aligns brand story with consumer psychology and platform algorithms. Most brands either get the “brand" right or the “performance"right. The magic lies in marrying both, at scale, across touchpoints, in a way that feels human.

At HQ, we call it the “Creative Engine meets Conversion Engine” approach, building content that performs and resonates.

Q. With algorithms and consumer behavior constantly shifting, how do you ensure your strategies stay future-proof?

You can't predict the future, but you can design for adaptability.

The key is to stop obsessing over algorithms and start obsessing over attention. If your strategy is rooted in understanding human behavior, you're already ahead. Platforms will change. Formats will evolve. But humans will still crave stories, connection, relevance, and speed.

Personally, I future-proof my work by staying a practitioner. I run campaigns, test content, build tools, and train others. That feedback loop ensures I'm never building strategy from a place of assumption, only from real-world signals.

Q. You've trained thousands as a top marketing educator-what are some common misconceptions aspiring marketers have when starting out?

So many! But here are three I see often:

Myth 1: You need to be "creative" to be a good marketer.

Truth: You need to be curious, not necessarily creative. The best marketers are great observers.

Myth 2: Marketing = Ads.

Truth: Ads are just distribution. Marketing is about building influence, not just impressions.

Myth 3: You need to crack the algorithm.

Truth: You need to crack your audience's head. Algorithms reward resonance.

Focus there.

Also, people underestimate how technical modern marketing is. From GA4 to CRM flows to Al automation, today's marketer is part artist, part engineer.

Q. What's your take on personal branding, especially for marketers and creators in 2025?

Personal branding today is not a luxury. it's a leverage engine.

For marketers, your personal brand is proof that you know how to market something, yourself. If you can't grow your own visibility, how will you do it for a client or brand?

That's how I built my own journey, 200,000+ marketers follow me for practical, raw, real-world insights. No gimmicks, no dancing, just paper, pen, and perspective.

In 2025, I believe personal branding is moving beyond aesthetics into authority. People are tired of noise. They want clarity. If your brand delivers that, consistently, you've already won.

Q. Tell us about HQ digital, what inspired you to start it, and how is it different from traditional consulting firms?

HQ Digital was born out of frustration.

I saw too many businesses stuck between two extremes:

Agencies that executed without context. And consultants who advised without execution. I wanted to bridge that gap. At HQ, we go full stack, from strategic clarity to campaign execution. We've worked with brands across India, the Middle East, and the US, not by being the cheapest or the loudest, but by being the sharpest.

What makes us different? We're not just consultants. We're builders. We build content systems, performance engines, retention frameworks, and now, education products that empower in-house teams to win long after we're gone.

Q. Quick one to wrap up-if marketing were a song, what genre would it be and why?

Ooh, fun one. Marketing is definitely Jazz.

It's structured yet improvisational. It flows with the moment, adapts to its audience, and when done right, it leaves people feeling something.

You can't just follow sheet music in marketing.You've got to read the room, play with energy, and sometimes... hit the unexpected note that changes everything.

Bio:

Apurv Singh is a globally recognized marketing consultant and educator, known for his strategic insights and impact on some of the world’s leading brands—including Spotify, Adidas, and Amazon. As the founder of @hq.digital, he combines creativity with data-driven execution to drive growth across digital platforms. With a strong presence as a Top Marketing Educator, Apurv continues to inspire businesses and budding marketers worldwide through his work, workshops, and thought leadership.

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Interviewed by: Anish Singh