Mumbai: Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG) and FCB on Friday announced the acquisition of an equity stake in a digital marketing agency, Kinnect. While the agency will partner with FCB Group India, it will continue to operate under the management of its current leadership.

Kinnect is an integrated creative and media agency with a strong growth trajectory and 350+ Kinnectors, working across offices in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore. Awarded Campaign South Asia’s 'Independent Agency of the Year' multiple times, and 'Digital Agency of the Year 2020', Kinnect is credited for conceptualising and executing digital-first campaigns for some of the biggest brands in the country.

Speaking about the acquisition, FCB Group India chairman & CEO Rohit Ohri said, “We believe that today creativity needs to be fueled by technology and data. Our ideas must not only generate greater long-term brand value but also activate business in the short term. This new partnership between the FCB Group, India’s most awarded creative agency, and Kinnect, India’s largest independent digital agency, will actualize this vision and mission for all our clients.”

Kinnect has a solution-driven approach to advertising and has built its business model keeping the clients at the very center.  It has built in-house capabilities for influencer & talent outreach - Kinnect Outreach, reputation management & listening - Kinnect 24/7, Kinnect Tech, and Kinnect Productions, to meet the rapidly evolving needs of clients and deliver work that positively impacts their businesses, said the agency in a statement.

Discussing the partnership with FCB Group India, Kinnect CEO Rohan Mehta said, “This development represents an exciting new chapter in our journey! As part of a global network, we see a huge opportunity to learn from their experiences and apply them in an Indian context. We will continue building new capabilities and evolving our services based on the needs of the markets while focusing on delivering the most effective solutions for our clients.”

Kinnect COO Chandni Shah added, “We are thrilled to be joining forces with the FCB Group. Leveraging their expertise in building brands over decades, we hope to achieve similar legacies for our clients. Together we look forward to engineering a more transformative and holistic experience for brands and are excited about the possibilities of what we can achieve together."