MAM
FCB Kinnect appoints Sumera Dewan as EVP – North
Mumbai: Sumera Dewan, formerly president at Punt Creative, will now spearhead FCB Kinnect’s strategic growth in the North region. She will oversee the office, managing over 100 Kinnectors, and will be responsible for the P&L in this dynamic, high-growth area.
While collaborating with the Delhi team, she will work closely with Neville Shah – recently appointed CCO FCB Kinnect, to develop creative solutions for business challenges for our brands.
Her leadership is anticipated to further enhance FCB Kinnect’s dedication to fostering a culture of both creative and strategic excellence. Sumera’s extensive experience and commitment to nurturing high-talent-density teams and long-term client relationships will be invaluable as she helps steer FCB Kinnect to new heights.
In a career spanning 14 years, Sumera has also had stints with Dentsu Webchutney, JWT (now part of VML), and Dentsu One (now part of Dentsu Creative). She’s excelled in both account management and strategic roles, forging meaningful partnerships with a diverse range of clients, including YouTube, Levi Strauss & Co, Nestle, Airtel, Under Armour, Tinder, Spotify, Unilever, Van Heusen, among others.
Her impressive track record includes winning prestigious awards like Cannes Lions, One Show, Abbys, Kyoorius, and EFFIES for campaigns such as Code Name (URI Film), HerShe (Hersheys), Axe Your Ex (Tinder), among others.
Speaking about the appointment, FCB Kinnect & FCB/SIX India CEO Rohan Mehta said, “Sumera’s energy is palpable. The varied experience she brings to the table will significantly enhance FCB Kinnect’s full-funnel services for our clients. Her alignment with our ethos of leveraging creativity to solve real business challenges, combined with her strategic growth expertise, will be instrumental in deepening our relationships with both existing and potential clients in the North. We are thrilled to welcome her to the Kinnect family.”
Sumera added, “I’m thrilled to join FCB Kinnect at this pivotal moment in their journey. Chandni and Rohan’s dedication to delivering exceptional creative work and elevating the agency on a global stage drew me in. Kinnect is founded on a solid base with the ambition and resources to reach new heights of creative excellence, driving remarkable results for our client partners. My aim will be to cultivate a culture of outcome-driven work that makes a tangible impact on the brands we partner with while also realizing the agency’s creative aspirations.”
MAM
HoABL unveils mixed reality campaign for Codename S.E.Z. Vrindavan
QR code brings peacock to life in Times of India ad, reaching 15 million viewers in 24 hours on 17 February 2026.
MUMBAI: A peacock just strutted off the newspaper page and into your phone proving that in Vrindavan, even print can spread its feathers in mixed reality. The House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL), India’s largest branded land developer, launched a mobile-first mixed reality experience for its Codename S.E.Z. (Spiritual Economic Zone) Vrindavan project around 17 February 2026. A simple QR code in The Times of India Delhi edition back-page ad triggered a peacock to spring to life, guiding users through an immersive visual tale of Vrindavan’s spiritual heritage before revealing the project’s ambitious vision via film-led storytelling.
Partnering with Flam, the enterprise mixed reality specialist, the activation blended motion, narrative, and seamless mobile interaction bridging old-school newspaper reading with smartphone habits in one frictionless flow.
The numbers flew high, roughly 15 million viewers in the first 24 hours across online and offline channels. On launch day alone, 57,000 unique individuals scanned the code for an impressive 8 per cent scan rate, diving into the MR journey.
HoABL amplified the buzz via creator-led content and its social platforms, racking up 2 million total views from HoABL plus influencer posts.
The House of Abhinandan Lodha chief marketing officer Saurabh Jain said, “For decades, Vrindavan has been among India’s most visited pilgrimage destinations… Codename S.E.Z. Vrindavan is conceived with deep respect for that legacy. Our communication reflects the same intent: to engage people in a way that doesn’t just attract attention but leaves a lasting imprint.”
Billed as the world’s only sensorial branded land development, the project features a grand clubhouse over 1 lakh square feet plus 40-plus amenities for an immersive living setup merging devotional proximity, heritage design, and modern infrastructure.
It ties into HoABL’s digital-first land-buying model, from discovery and docs to payments and registration, all backed by clear titles, approvals, and transparency making ownership feel less like a gamble and more like a confident step.
Whether you’re a pilgrim at heart, an investor eyeing spiritual hotspots, or just intrigued by tech-meets-tradition wizardry, this campaign turned a static ad into a portal reminding us that sometimes, the path to enlightenment starts with a quick scan.
