Wunderman Thompson no more: WPP merges agency with VMLY&R
Jon Cook becomes VML Global CEO and Mel Edwards VML global president.
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The world's largest ad holding company WPP has merged its iconic ad agency Wunderman Thompson (previously known as JWT and J Walter Thompson) with VMLY&R. The combined entity will be known as VML. The merged company will have more than 30,000 people in 64 markets. Jon Cook becomes VML Global CEO and Mel Edwards VML global president.
Cook said the future of building strong brands and businesses requires the interconnectivity of brand experience, commerce and customer experiences. He added, “We recognized the immediate opportunity to create what every consultancy and advertising agency aspires to build with the formation of VML. We’re especially excited to present our new offering to the industry as we don’t believe there is another company as creatively awarded with our depth in customer experience and commerce.”
WPP seems to be creating an ad behemoth with the merger of these two companies, hoping to use size and scale to its advantage.
“This is the right suite of capabilities, offered at just the right moment, at unprecedented scale,” said Mel Edwards, global president. “It’s incredibly exciting because with this new agency we have the chance to shape the future of modern marketing in every key market around the world. The opportunities it affords our people and the growth we can deliver for our clients at a global scale make this a real game-changer for each business and the wider industry.”
Reiterating the emphasis on scale, the global CEO of WPP, Mark Read, said, “Scale matters in today’s world as AI and technology transform marketing and global clients look to simplify their relationships. VML will combine world-class creativity with deep expertise in data, marketing technology and platforms to deliver competitive advantage for ambitious brands. It’s another important step forward for WPP as we continue to reshape our offer for the future, simplify our business and unlock further benefits of scale."
Separately, Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R are two of WPP’s strongest and best-performing agencies, said Read. He added, "Together, they will deliver an even wider, fully integrated suite of capabilities to our clients in every market. Marketers today expect seamless links between their brand advertising and technology solutions and platforms. VML provides an immediate solution to this business imperative.”
Immediate leadership appointments include Debbi Vandeven, global chief creative officer; Eric Campbell, global chief client officer; Juan Pablo Jurado, CEO LATAM; Ewen Sturgeon, CEO EMEA; and Audrey Kuah and Yi-Chung Tay, co-CEOs APAC.
Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R have partnered globally across multiple clients such as Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company and more.
VML will be operational from January 1, 2024.
