AD Agencies
FCB Kinnect welcomes storytelling maestro Abhinav Tripathi as national creative director
MUMBAI: FCB Kinnect has appointed Abhinav Tripathi as its national creative director, securing a creative heavyweight with over two decades of industry experience to spearhead its Delhi operations.
Tripathi, who joins from McCann Worldgroup where he served as creative head of digital & McCann Content Studio, brings a stellar track record of crafting compelling narratives and a knack for turning creative briefs into gold.
“We’re absolutely delighted to have Abhinav on board,” said FCB Kinnect on linkedin. “His storytelling prowess and tech-savvy approach will help us push creative boundaries whilst delivering forward-thinking work that cuts through the noise.”
The appointment marks something of a homecoming for Tripathi, who previously had a brief stint as national creative consultant at FCB Ulka in 2016, before taking the creative reins at TBWAIndia as managing partner creative.
His impressive CV includes stints at advertising powerhouses including Leo Burnett, Ogilvy, and a substantial five-year tenure at McCann Worldgroup as executive creative director prior to his most recent role.
Industry insiders suggest the hire signals FCB Kinnect’s ambition to bolster its creative firepower in the fiercely competitive Delhi market.
Before his advertising journey, Tripathi dabbled in entrepreneurship, running SunTours.com from 2001 to 2004, before earning his MBA in Marketing from FORE School of Management, New Delhi.
As FCB Kinnect looks to make waves in the integrated marketing space, they’ll be banking on Tripathi to craft campaigns that don’t just spark conversation, but set the advertising world alight.
AD Agencies
Microsoft shifts global media account from Dentsu to Publicis Groupe: Reports
Closed review ends decade-long tie-up; Xbox remit may remain with Dentsu
MUMBAI: Microsoft has reassigned its global media planning and buying business to Publicis Groupe, according to media reports, ending Dentsu’s long-standing stewardship of one of the advertising industry’s biggest accounts.
The move follows a closed review and marks a notable shake-up in the global media landscape. Dentsu, which managed the account through Carat, had held the mandate since 2014 and successfully defended it in a 2018 review.
While the broader business is shifting, Dentsu is expected to retain media responsibilities for Xbox, according to media reports, though the exact contours of that arrangement remain unclear. None of the parties involved have publicly outlined the transition timeline or the full structure of the handover.
The scale of the account underscores the significance of the change. Estimates from COMvergence, cited by Ad Age, peg Microsoft’s global media spend at roughly $700 million last year.
For Publicis Groupe, the win deepens an already expanding relationship with the tech giant. Earlier this year, Microsoft Advertising partnered with Publicis Media Exchange and Epsilon to integrate Epsilon’s data into its platform, aiming to sharpen targeting across search, native and display formats.
The decision reflects a broader industry shift, as large advertisers increasingly favour agency partners with strong first-party data capabilities, AI integration and platform-led solutions. Publicis Groupe has been leaning into this model, positioning its data assets and technology stack as a central differentiator.
For Dentsu, the loss is significant. Media remains a core pillar of its global business, and the development comes close on the heels of leadership changes, including the appointment of Takeshi Sano as global chief executive officer.
The shift also carries a touch of irony. Microsoft and Dentsu have worked closely beyond the client-agency relationship, including collaborations around AI tools such as Copilot to support media and creative workflows.
As the dust settles, the message is clear: in today’s data-driven, AI-powered media world, relationships may be long, but they are rarely permanent.
