VML (agency)

This article is about the current VML agency. For its predecessors, see VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson.

VML

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Advertising, Digital Marketing
Predecessors	Agencies VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson
Founded	2023 (2023)
Headquarters	Kansas City, London, England, New York City, New York
Number of locations	64 markets
Key people	Jon Cook (CEO) Mel Edwards (president)
Number of employees	30,000 (2023)
Parent	WPP
Website	www.vml.com

VML is an international marketing and communications company specializing in brand experience, commerce and technology, and customer experience. VML was formed from the merger of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R. It is a subsidiary of WPP plc, a multinational advertising and public relations holding company.

VML employs more than 30,000 employees in 64 markets worldwide with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, and London.

History

VML was launched on October 17, 2023, when international advertising group WPP Group merged agencies VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson.

VMLY&R

Main article: VMLY&R

VMLY&R was formed in 2018 from the merger of VML and Y&R (Young & Rubicam). VML originally launched in 1992 under Kansas City advertising leaders John Valentine, Scott McCormick and Craig Ligibel, whose initials formed the company's name. The agency offered integrated online and offline advertising services, business consulting and software applications. In 1923, Young and Rubicam (Y&R) was established by John Orr Young and Raymond Rubicam in Philadelphia. The company moved to New York in 1926 as a condition of securing a contract with the newly formed Jell-O company, and later, to 285 Madison Avenue, which remained the company's location for 87 years.

Wunderman Thompson

Main article: Wunderman Thompson

Wunderman Thompson was formed in 2018 with the merger of J. Walter Thompson and Wunderman. J. Walter Thompson was founded in 1864 by James Walter Thompson and traces its origins to the Carlton & Smith agency, one of the first known advertising agencies in the United States. J. Walter Thompson was acquired by WPP in 1987. In 1958, direct marketer Lester Wunderman opened Wunderman, Ricotta & Klein (WRK) and is widely considered to be the creator of modern-day Direct Marketing – a term he first used in 1961.

Post merger (2023 - present)

After the merger, VML added Krispy Kreme, Breyers and pharmaceutical company Perrigo as clients.

Operations

VML is the largest WPP Group agency with more than 30,000 employees located across 64 plus markets. Jon Cook, previously Global CEO at VMLY&R, is CEO, and Mel Edwards, previously Global CEO at Wunderman Thompson, is President. VML is headquartered across Kansas City, New York and London.

VML clients include Unilever, AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company and Wendy's. VML provides client services around three core practices in brand experience, customer experience and commerce.

Notable campaigns

• Mayo Cat - For the 2024 Super Bowl, VML launched “Mayo Cat” – the latest iteration of Hellmann’s "Make Taste, Not Waste” campaign to raise awareness of food waste. The humorous campaign features Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson and an anthropomorphic cat named Mayo Cat aimed at encouraging viewers to use Hellmann’s Mayonnaise to make new meals out of leftovers.
• The World Needs More Santas - VML’s "The World Needs More Santas” campaign for Coca-Cola showcases a city full of Santas to capture the spirit of the holidays and features the song "I Could Be Santa Claus" by British singer and songwriter Celeste. VML’s Coca-Cola campaign continues the affiliation with the image of Santa Claus in Coca-Cola’s advertising which began in the 1920’s. In 1931, Coca-Cola commissioned Haddon Sundblom, a Michigan-born illustrator, to create images of Santa Claus to be worked into Coca-Cola’s holiday advertisements. The imagery is synonymous with Coca-Cola and the originals can be found in art galleries around the world.