VML (agency)

• 1. Foundations And Mergers

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  John Valentine, Scott McCormick, and Craig Ligibel launched VML in 1992. Their initials formed the name of this new Kansas City advertising agency. The firm offered integrated online and offline advertising services alongside business consulting and software applications. This venture emerged from a local leadership team seeking to bridge digital and traditional media strategies. Decades later, Young & Rubicam established its roots in Philadelphia during 1923. John Orr Young and Raymond Rubicam founded that company before moving operations to New York in 1926. A contract with the Jell-O company forced the relocation. The agency eventually settled at 285 Madison Avenue for 87 years. James Walter Thompson started his own agency in 1864. His work traced back to the Carlton & Smith agency, one of the earliest known advertising firms in the United States. Lester Wunderman opened Wunderman, Ricotta & Klein in 1958. He is widely considered the creator of modern-day Direct Marketing, a term he first used in 1961. These separate entities would eventually converge under WPP plc leadership.

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• 2. The 2023 Rebranding

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  VML officially launched on the 17th of October 2023. International advertising group WPP Group merged agencies VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson into a single global entity. Jon Cook previously served as Global CEO at VMLY&R before taking the top role. Mel Edwards, formerly Global CEO at Wunderman Thompson, became President of the new organization. This consolidation brought together decades of distinct histories into one unified structure. The merger combined the digital-first approach of VML with the direct marketing legacy of Wunderman. WPP plc oversees this subsidiary as part of its multinational advertising and public relations portfolio. The rebranding marked a significant shift from the previous dual-agency model that had existed since 2018. It represented the culmination of years of strategic planning within the holding company framework.

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• 3. Global Operations Structure

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  VML employs more than 30,000 employees across 64 markets worldwide. Principal offices anchor operations in Kansas City, New York, and London. This distribution allows the agency to serve clients globally while maintaining regional expertise. As the second largest WPP Group agency behind WPP Media, it commands substantial resources. The workforce spans diverse geographic territories to support international brand strategies. Headquarters locations reflect a tripartite strategy covering North America and Europe. Employees work within these hubs to deliver integrated online and offline services. The scale of operations supports complex projects for major corporate partners. This infrastructure enables rapid deployment of technology and creative solutions across borders.

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• 4. Strategic Client Portfolio

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  Unilever, Ford, and Microsoft stand among the major corporate partners served by VML. Other key clients include AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. After the 2023 merger, the agency added Krispy Kreme, Breyers, and pharmaceutical company Perrigo to its roster. In April 2025, VML combined consulting, customer experience, commerce, and technology transformation services into a new Enterprise Solutions division. Core practices focus on three areas: brand experience, customer experience, and commerce. These pillars guide how the agency approaches every client engagement. Services range from strategic planning to software application development. The portfolio reflects a commitment to delivering comprehensive marketing communications solutions.

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• 5. Notable Campaigns

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  Group Therapy emerged as a documentary about mental health produced in collaboration with French multinational insurance firm AXA. Comedian Kevin Hart’s production company Hartbeat partnered with VML to stream the project on Amazon Prime. Sound Sites launched through a partnership with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. This campaign made tourism planning more accessible for blind and low vision communities. For the 2024 Super Bowl, VML introduced Mayo Cat within Hellmann’s Make Taste, Not Waste initiative. Kate McKinnon and Pete Davidson appeared alongside an anthropomorphic cat named Mayo Cat. The humorous advertisement encouraged viewers to use mayonnaise to create new meals from leftovers. These projects demonstrate the agency's ability to blend entertainment with social responsibility.

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• 6. Industry Recognition

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  The Thanks for Coke-Creating campaign won several Cannes Lions awards under the Every Coca-Cola is Welcome umbrella. Local bodegas, shopkeepers, and artists created signs, murals, and paintings re-interpreting the Coca-Cola logo. In 2024, VML agency Scholz & Friends Germany secured a Cannes Lions Grand Prix in Industry Craft. Their work for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung featured Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer during the newspaper’s 100th Edition celebration. The Phone Break campaign from VML Czech Republic earned the Czech Republic’s first Cannes Lions Grand Prix in 2025. This award recognized their creative execution for KitKat. Such accolades validate the agency's impact on global advertising standards. Recognition highlights how specific campaigns resonate with both judges and audiences worldwide.

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