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VML
We create connected brands to drive growth
Company Information
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Overview

VML is a global powerhouse born from the unification of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R — two of the world's most powerful and accomplished creative agencies with complementary capabilities and geographic strengths.

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Number of Employees

10,001+

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Services Provided

Consulting

Capabilities
Industries
Footprint
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Regions

Africa, Asia, Europe, Latam, North America, Oceania

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Countries

Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States Of America

Additional Information
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Year of foundation

1992

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Structure

Public Company

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About

About Us

A Beacon of Innovation and Growth

VML is a global creative company born from an unmatched creative legacy — more than 300 years of combined expertise drawn from iconic agencies including J. Walter Thompson, Y&R, Wunderman, and VML. Part of WPP, we unite the heart of an award-winning creative agency with the strategic power of a technology consultancy, giving our partners something truly unique: the vision to inspire and the capability to transform. With 26,000 talented people across more than 150 offices in over 50 markets, we bring the local insight and worldwide scale needed to develop ideas that matter — ideas that create genuine impact for the brands we serve. Led by Global CEO Jon Cook and Global Chief Creative Officer Debbi Vandeven, VML is structured around four interconnected practices — Brand Experience, Customer Experience, Commerce, and Enterprise Solutions — each designed to connect every part of a brand's journey around a single human truth. We are a partner in brand and business transformation, and we've proven that when you put human connection at the heart of a brand, it doesn't just grow — it thrives.

Who we are

Human First. Always.

At VML, being Human First is more than a philosophy — it is the creative foundation everything we do is built upon. We believe the most powerful ideas, the ones that truly move people and businesses forward, are born from a deep and empathetic understanding of human needs, desires, and motivations. Our people are the soul of our company. The 26,000 individuals who make up our global network bring varied perspectives, cultural fluency, and local expertise that are not simply a competitive advantage — they are essential to understanding a complex world and creating work that genuinely resonates. We are a connected community, built on the conviction that bringing together diverse viewpoints is the most powerful driver of creativity and innovation. We foster a culture where everyone belongs, where continuous learning and personal growth are cornerstones of every career, and where brave exploration is not just encouraged — it is expected.

What we do

Connected Solutions Across the Entire Brand Journey

We deliver award-winning, scalable, and transformative growth by seamlessly integrating three core areas of expertise. Through Brand Experience, we create compelling brand worlds and creative platforms that attract people — building emotional connections from the very first touchpoint. Through Customer Experience, we design and build intelligent digital platforms, loyalty programs, and personalized interactions that deepen those connections and create a lasting bond between people and the brand. Through Commerce, we engineer seamless, innovative solutions that convert interest into action, ensuring every transaction is a valuable part of the overall brand relationship. Powering all three is the integration of world-class creativity with deep expertise in data and technology — supercharged by WPP Open, our AI-powered marketing operating system. We don't see technology as separate from creativity; we see it as the tool that makes Human First ideas more powerful and more effective. Consulting, Technology Transformation, and Health round out our full suite of offerings, ensuring we can meet any business challenge with connected, measurable, and future-ready solutions.

Our Purpose

We Put Everything We Are Into Everything We Do

Our purpose is to bring human creativity and technology together to create connected brands that drive growth. We exist to prove that when you build around a human truth — when every touchpoint along a person's journey with a brand is emotionally resonant and flawlessly executed — brands don't simply grow, they thrive. This belief shapes every brief we take on, every platform we build, and every experience we design. It means we create value for people first, knowing that this is the most authentic and sustainable way to create value for the brands and businesses we serve. And it extends beyond our client work: through the VML Foundation and our commitment to our communities, we are driven by the conviction that creativity, used well, has the power to build better futures for people and for the world.

Our Values

The Connections That Drive Us

Everything at VML flows from a core set of beliefs we live by every day. We believe creativity and technology are most powerful when they work together, not apart. We believe diverse perspectives are not a nice-to-have — they are the engine of innovation. We believe belonging is not a destination but a daily practice, built through understanding, empathy, and acceptance. We believe the best work is brave work — work that challenges convention, champions human connection, and creates genuine cultural impact. We believe in continuous learning and growth as essential elements of every individual's career. And we believe we are simply better together — that connecting cultures, viewpoints, and capabilities across our global network is what allows us to create ideas that resonate everywhere and matter to everyone.

Why working with us

The Vision of a Creative Agency. The Power of a Technology Consultancy.

VML offers something the industry rarely sees: genuine creative ambition fused with genuine technical depth. We don't choose between imagination and execution — we deliver both. Our heritage spans more than 300 years of creative excellence, and our 10,000-strong Enterprise Solutions team ensures we can transform that creativity into real, measurable business outcomes at global scale. We leverage WPP Open, an AI-powered marketing operating system, to deliver intelligent, personalized, and measurable solutions that keep our partners ahead. Our 26,000 people in 150+ offices mean we combine worldwide scale with the local cultural insight that makes work truly resonate. The results speak clearly: named #2 Creative Network of the Year at Cannes Lions 2026, #2 Most Awarded Network globally for creativity, Campaign's Global Network of the Year, and consistently recognized by Forrester as a Leader in marketing creative and content services. When you partner with VML, you get the full picture — from brand strategy and award-winning creative to technology modernization, commerce, and enterprise transformation — all connected around the human at the center of your brand.

Sustainability

Creativity in Service of Better Futures

Sustainability at VML is grounded in our parent company WPP's commitment to using the power of creativity to build better futures for people, planet, clients, and communities. We align with WPP's net-zero ambition and broader sustainability agenda, which sets the framework within which our global network operates. Closer to home, VML Mexico has earned the Socially Responsible Company ESR® certification — a prestigious recognition awarded to organizations that demonstrate a voluntary, public commitment to socially responsible management as an integral part of their business culture. Our creative work also reflects this responsibility: from campaigns addressing environmental challenges to inclusive design initiatives that open access for underserved communities, we believe the most powerful brands are those that connect growth with positive impact.

Community & Impact

Giving Back in the Communities That Nurture Our Success

The VML Foundation is the tangible expression of our agency's core values — an employee-funded, employee-led giving program that exists to support and celebrate the charitable causes that matter most to our people and their families. In 2023, the Foundation proudly surpassed $3 million in collective charitable giving. Each year, VML Worldwide Foundation Day sees every global office step away from normal business for a remarkable 24-hour period of giving back — through volunteer service, pro bono work, community leadership, and financial contributions — in the places where we live, work, and raise our families. Our community commitment extends through programs like the Detroit Experience Studio, a free 10-week program empowering Detroit high schoolers with hands-on training in marketing, advertising, and design, and VML LATAM's All Win program, which brings university students into the agency for mentorship and career exploration. Together, we make a difference that goes well beyond the work on the brief.

Inclusion & Diversity

Inclusion, Equity & Belonging — The Unity of Our Agency

At VML, Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging (IE&B) is not a program — it is the foundation of how we work together and what makes our work better. Inclusion means actively bringing together people from all backgrounds, especially those from historically excluded communities, to spark creativity and growth. Equity means ensuring fair treatment and full participation for everyone, regardless of identity. Belonging means creating a place where every one of our 26,000+ people feels genuinely accepted, valued, and empowered to bring their authentic self to work every single day. At the core of our IE&B programming is a global ecosystem of Employee Resource Groups — open to all VML employees — covering Accessibility, Caregivers and Parents, Disability, Gender, LGBTQIA+, Multicultural, Race and Ethnicity, and Wellness. We back these commitments with meaningful partnerships — including the Human Rights Campaign, the Unstereotype Alliance, Black Representation in Marketing, myGwork, and Dear Black Talent — and through programs like WISE (Women Inspiring Strength and Empowerment), Racial Equity Week in Brazil, and New Zealand's Kia Whakatinana Kia Whakamanawa initiative. We are recognized for this work: VML Mexico has received a perfect score on the HRC Corporate Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year, and our UK office has been named among the top employers in the Investing in Ethnicity Maturity Matrix.

Awards & Accreditations

Recognized for Our Business, Work, Culture, and People

Recognition across VML reflects who we are in full — celebrated not just for the creativity of our work, but for our effectiveness, our innovation, and the culture we build. At Cannes Lions 2026, we were named #2 Creative Network of the Year, earning 53 Lions including a Titanium — the fourth in VML... See more

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