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VML (agency): the story on HearLore | HearLore
VML (agency)
On the 17th of October 2023, the advertising world witnessed the creation of a new titan when WPP Group merged two of its most powerful agencies, VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, into a single entity named VML. This was not merely a corporate rebranding exercise but a strategic consolidation designed to dominate the intersection of brand experience, commerce, and technology. The resulting organization employs more than 30,000 people across 64 markets, making it the second largest agency within the WPP Group, trailing only WPP Media. The headquarters of this new behemoth is uniquely distributed across three major cities: Kansas City, New York, and London, reflecting a deliberate effort to balance its American roots with its global ambitions. The merger brought together two distinct lineages, one born from the digital revolution of the 1990s and the other from the direct marketing innovations of the mid-20th century, creating a hybrid powerhouse capable of handling everything from software development to high-level brand strategy.
Roots in Kansas City
The story of VML begins in 1992 in Kansas City, Missouri, where three advertising leaders, John Valentine, Scott McCormick, and Craig Ligibel, joined forces to launch a new agency. They chose the initials of their names to form the company's identity, creating VML, a name that would eventually become synonymous with integrated online and offline advertising services. Unlike the traditional agencies of the time, VML offered business consulting and software applications, positioning itself at the forefront of the emerging digital landscape. This Kansas City origin story stands in stark contrast to the agency's later global expansion, as the company moved its focus from a local Midwestern hub to a worldwide stage. The agency's early days were defined by a belief that technology and creativity could be seamlessly blended to solve complex business problems, a philosophy that would eventually drive the massive merger that created the modern VML. The decision to anchor the agency in Kansas City rather than New York or London was a bold move that allowed it to cultivate a unique culture before eventually expanding to major metropolitan centers.
The Direct Marketing Pioneer
While VMLY&R was building its digital empire, another agency was laying the groundwork for modern direct marketing in 1958. Lester Wunderman, a visionary direct marketer, opened Wunderman, Ricotta & Klein, a firm that would eventually evolve into Wunderman. Wunderman is widely credited as the creator of the term direct marketing, which he first used in 1961 to describe a new way of communicating directly with consumers. This agency was later merged with J. Walter Thompson, an organization with roots stretching back to 1864 and founded by James Walter Thompson. J. Walter Thompson itself traced its origins to the Carlton & Smith agency, one of the first known advertising agencies in the United States. The merger of these two entities in 2018 to form Wunderman Thompson brought together a century of advertising history with a modern focus on customer experience. The legacy of Wunderman is evident in the agency's continued emphasis on data-driven strategies and personalized consumer engagement, which became core components of the new VML structure.
When was VML agency formed by the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson?
VML agency was formed on the 17th of October 2023 when WPP Group merged VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson into a single entity. This strategic consolidation created the second largest agency within the WPP Group with more than 30,000 employees across 64 markets.
Who founded the original VML agency in 1992 and where was it located?
John Valentine, Scott McCormick, and Craig Ligibel founded the original VML agency in 1992 in Kansas City, Missouri. The three advertising leaders chose the initials of their names to form the company's identity and anchored the agency in Kansas City before expanding globally.
What year did Lester Wunderman first use the term direct marketing?
Lester Wunderman first used the term direct marketing in 1961 to describe a new way of communicating directly with consumers. He opened Wunderman, Ricotta & Klein in 1958 and later merged with J. Walter Thompson to form Wunderman Thompson in 2018.
Where is the headquarters of VML agency located after the 2023 merger?
The headquarters of VML agency is distributed across three major cities: Kansas City, New York, and London. This unique distribution reflects a deliberate effort to balance its American roots with its global ambitions following the 2023 merger.
Which campaign did VML launch in 2024 to raise awareness of food waste?
VML launched the 2024 Super Bowl campaign Mayo Cat to raise awareness of food waste. The campaign featured an anthropomorphic cat named Mayo Cat and stars like Kate McKinnon and Pete Davidson to encourage viewers to use Hellmann's Mayonnaise to create new meals from leftovers.
Who serves as the CEO and President of VML agency after the 2023 merger?
Jon Cook serves as CEO and Mel Edwards serves as President of VML agency following the 2023 merger. Jon Cook was previously Global CEO at VMLY&R and Mel Edwards was previously Global CEO at Wunderman Thompson.
The other half of the VMLY&R merger, Young & Rubicam, was established in 1923 by John Orr Young and Raymond Rubicam in Philadelphia. The company's early history was marked by a significant relocation to New York in 1926, a move made as a condition of securing a lucrative contract with the newly formed Jell-O company. This strategic decision placed the agency in the heart of the American advertising industry, and it remained at 285 Madison Avenue for 87 years, a tenure that spanned nearly a century of advertising evolution. Young & Rubicam's long-standing presence on Madison Avenue symbolized its status as a pillar of the industry, and its eventual merger with VML in 2018 to form VMLY&R brought together decades of brand-building expertise with digital innovation. The agency's history is a testament to the ability of advertising firms to adapt to changing market conditions, from the early days of print and radio to the digital age of social media and e-commerce.
Campaigns That Changed Culture
In the years following the 2023 merger, VML launched several high-profile campaigns that demonstrated its ability to blend humor, technology, and social responsibility. The Group Therapy project, a collaboration with French insurance firm AXA and comedian Kevin Hart's production company Hartbeat, produced a documentary about mental health that streamed on Amazon Prime, bringing the conversation about mental wellness to a global audience. Another notable initiative, Sound Sites, was developed in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development to make tourism planning more accessible for blind and low vision communities, showcasing the agency's commitment to inclusivity. The 2024 Super Bowl campaign, Mayo Cat, featured an anthropomorphic cat named Mayo Cat and stars like Kate McKinnon and Pete Davidson to raise awareness of food waste, encouraging viewers to use Hellmann's Mayonnaise to create new meals from leftovers. These campaigns highlighted VML's ability to create content that resonates with diverse audiences while addressing critical social issues.
Awards and Global Recognition
The creative output of VML has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including several Cannes Lions Grand Prix wins that have elevated the agency's global standing. In 2024, VML agency Scholz & Friends Germany won a Cannes Lions Grand Prix in Industry Craft for The 100th Edition campaign for the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, which featured Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer and honored the newspaper's centennial. The following year, the Phone Break campaign from VML Czech Republic for KitKat was awarded the Czech Republic's first Cannes Lions Grand Prix, marking a significant milestone for the agency's international reach. Additionally, the Thanks for Coke-Creating campaign, part of the Every Coca-Cola is Welcome initiative, won multiple Cannes Lions awards by reinterpreting the Coca-Cola logo through signs, murals, and paintings created by local bodegas, shopkeepers, and artists. These accolades underscore VML's ability to deliver creative excellence across different markets and cultural contexts.
Leadership and Future Strategy
The leadership of VML reflects the agency's dual heritage, with Jon Cook, previously Global CEO at VMLY&R, serving as CEO, and Mel Edwards, previously Global CEO at Wunderman Thompson, taking the role of President. This leadership structure ensures that both the digital and direct marketing legacies of the merged agencies are represented at the highest levels of decision-making. In April 2025, VML further consolidated its operations by combining its consulting, customer experience, commerce, and technology transformation services into a new Enterprise Solutions division, signaling a strategic shift towards providing comprehensive business solutions to its clients. The agency's client roster includes major global brands such as Unilever, AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's, demonstrating its ability to serve a wide range of industries. As VML continues to evolve, its focus remains on integrating brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to deliver value to its clients and consumers alike.