Building India’s Most Modern Marketing Partner
What a difference 13 years make. Starting with just a handful of people to attracting over 600, with multiple prestigious awards, a lucrative acquisition by FCB Group in 2023 and, most recently, a ranking of sixth best Indian agency in the 2024 LIONS Creativity Report – it’s been quite the journey for FCB Kinnect and FCB/Six India.
To support the evolution of the businesses into a creatively-led, full-funnel integrated agency, a series of key hires were made, including that of Neville Shah who moved from Ogilvy to help transform the agency’s creative culture as chief creative officer. With over 20 years of experience, working across brands such as Mondelez, Bajaj Auto, Chevrolet, Standard Chartered Bank, Star Sports, Amazon, and more, Neville now partners with CEO Rohan Mehta and COO Chandni Shah to lead the offices across the country.
Together, they strive to be the most modern marketing partner in the world and drive growth and profitability above market standards. In this interview, Rohan and Neville join LBB’s Sunna Coleman to expand on the agency’s long-term success and discuss their creative plans to take the business to its highest level.
LBB> Congratulations on a successful 13 years of FCB Kinnect! You have won multiple awards and titles in that time, including recently ranking as one of the top ten Indian agencies in the Lions Creativity Report 2024. In short, what values or ways of working do you believe has led to the company’s long-standing success over the years?
Rohan> While we are a marketing and advertising agency, internally, we’re a learning and development company. We’re never romanced by our past and present success, but constantly learn and adapt to the evolving marketing trends, thus able to bring solutions to the table that are extremely contemporary in nature.
We've always been ahead of the curve when it comes to integration and combining our creative and media capabilities under one roof, including influencer marketing, CX, video, and more. We've also consistently built and integrated new verticals from the ground up to adapt to the evolving needs of the market.
At FCB Kinnect, teamwork isn't just a buzzword – it's our foundation. We believe in the power of diverse perspectives and skill sets coming together to create truly impactful work.
LBB> If you had to pick a recent personal highlight, what would it be?
Rohan> For me, two key highlights stand out: First, winning a Cannes Lions for our work with HDFC Bank that culminated from two and a half years of effort and was seen by / resonated with audiences across the country, going on to earn recognition on global stages. It was even more special to have our client join us on stage to celebrate our years of partnership.
Another recent one would be on our 13th anniversary, we were thrilled to learn that FCB Kinnect was ranked among the top 10 Indian creative agencies in the Cannes Lions Creativity Report 2024. It's a testament to our growth and a reminder of how far we've come since Chandni Shah and I first ventured into advertising, aiming to compete with the very best.
LBB> Over the past 13 years, you’ve grown from a team of only four to now 600+ employees. Rohan, how did you manage to scale so fast and in what ways did you have to evolve as a leader to run a company of this size?
Rohan> Over the years, I've had to constantly adapt and evolve to keep pace with our rapid growth. The first five years were about learning, experimenting, and delivering on our promises. The next four years focused on co-creating and visioning with our leadership team, and prioritising brand-building over last-mile execution.
Now, as part of the FCB network, with our biggest growth spurt from 250 to over 600 Kinnectors, I've had to lead by example, rather than action. My focus has shifted to empowering top talent and hiring leaders who can guide our vision forward. One thing that has personally benefited me is having a mentor or coach at every stage of my journey. They're invested in my learning and development, hold me accountable and act as a critical sounding board.
LBB> Last year, Kinnect was acquired by FCB Group. Tell us about the impact of this and what you have been able to achieve since.
Rohan> Joining the FCB network was a pivotal moment for us. It validated our work, provided access to global expertise and challenged us to raise our creative bar. We've learned a great deal from the global teams and the FCB Global Creative Council, which has helped us elevate our creative standards.
As the fastest-growing agency in the network, we bring a fresh perspective and a commitment to excellence to FCB Group India. We've contributed to their success on global stages and are proud to be home to the network's central capabilities (Media, Influencer, Data, CX) which drive impactful work and benefit both the FCB Group and IPG.
LBB> You are well established as experts in digital marketing but have also expanded your creative offering. Neville, you were brought in this year to push this further as chief creative officer. What was it that drew you to FCB Kinnect and what potential do you see creatively?
Neville> Excuse the pun, but we’re totally ‘kinnected’! Our influencer desk, media, ops and account management are all top-notch, working together to serve the core idea. There’s no better place for me to dive in. Kinnect has spent 13 years redefining how briefs are approached, by simply using creative ideas as an economic multiplier. We’re passionate about tackling briefs with creativity, whether that ends up as a TV commercial or a radio spot – it's all about the idea. That’s what drew me to FCB Kinnect. Here, media, PR, and all other functions aren’t just traditional tools; they’re innovative avenues that let us redefine how we connect with people.
LBB> One of your key responsibilities includes bringing a transformation to the agency’s creative culture. Why is this important and how are you helping to shape this?
Neville> Creative culture encompasses our processes, our people and our approach to briefs and client relationships. Legacy gets you into the door but doesn’t keep you in the room. This is a business where you’re as good as your last two campaigns. Transformation is essential for us to become the most creative company in the world as this is crucial for delivering our best work.
Thinking about ideas is fun. I tell my people that they shouldn’t be bummed about an idea not going through but excited that they get to think about another one. We tackle challenges creatively by delivering exceptional work, but consistently. Not all great work is popular and we’re raising our benchmarks significantly with two barometers in mind: awards and popularity. We’re going from becoming India’s best digital agency to the country’s best ideas agency.
LBB> What most excites you both about the creative industry in India at the moment? What trends or developments have you got your eyes on?
Neville> The creative industry in India is a vibe. As a nation of storytellers, we excel at tapping into the relatability of our people and capturing the zeitgeist of our communities. This connection keeps us grounded and drives us to produce outstanding work.
An idea needs to be devoid of technology. Creative tech is exciting because it’s not tech for tech’s sake. While technology can amplify an idea, it is not the idea itself. There’s a growing conversation around what brands contribute to society, beyond mere CSR initiatives. Today, many brands aspire to enrich culture and infuse it with meaning, which is pretty exciting.
LBB> Looking to the next decade, what is your overarching vision for the business and where you hope to take it?
Rohan> We started from humble beginnings, but our ambition and commitment to excellence have driven us to where we are today. We've always been bold in sharing our dreams and achieving them. Our strong client relationships, business impact and dedication to quality have fuelled our growth. We aim to be the number one modern marketing partner in the world, driving growth and profitability above market standards with a particular focus on being the best for the Indian market.
Neville> If you’re not aiming to be the best creative agency in the world within the next decade, what’s your goal? With the largest youth population and a burgeoning tech scene, we have immense potential. Pricing should be approached from a business perspective because ideas hold significant value and cannot be measured by the hour.
