VML: A Very Monumental Year

"A candy store of incredible future-facing skills," is how the VML's chief creative officer Ryan McManus described the agency when he took the lead creative role at WPP’s London office in May this year. McManus' hire was one of the first major post-merger moves made by VML UK CEO Pip Hulbert. Alongside the appointment of Ben Worden, previously Wunderman Thompson UK’s head of planning, to VML UK's chief strategy officer.

Just a year into its existence, the newly formed VML - following the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson - is already flexing those future-facing creative muscles. This year, the UK agency landed multiple big client wins, plus Grand Prix awards at Clio and six Cannes Lions. One standout piece of creative work, made while celebrating Boot's 175th anniversary, was 'The Christmas Makeover' which celebrated the magic of beauty.

The UK agency also navigated two office moves, culminating in its new home at Sea Containers.

We caught up with UK CEO Pip Hulbert to explore the agency's transformative year.

CEO Pip Hulbert on the agency's 2024

What have been the major highlights for your business in 2024?

2024 has been a monumental year for us in establishing VML. We've brought together hundreds of talented individuals, each championing our connected brand proposition that's truly resonating with clients – evidenced by our outstanding client satisfaction scores.

We've navigated two office moves, culminating in our new home at Sea Containers, and welcomed Ryan McManus as our new CCO. Our creative vision and energy are palpable, exemplified by work like the data-led Boots Christmas campaign and innovative experiences driving accessibility standards with Canon and Sela. We’ve landed multiple big client wins, plus, our industry recognition has been fantastic, with Grand Prix awards at Clio, Drum Experiential, ADC*E, EPICA, and Eurobest, plus six Cannes Lions to boot.

What is your proudest achievement from the last 12 months?

The feedback I receive from our clients. We’ve had some lovely comments from new business wins and about the work that we’ve made this year. It always makes me feel proud when our talent and capabilities are recognised as industry-leading.

What are you most looking forward to next year?

I'm optimistic about next year. I'm excited about settling into Sea Containers, bringing all our teams and capabilities under one roof. This will be transformational for collaboration and delivering even stronger, more integrated solutions for our clients. I'm also eager to see how AI will continue to shape creativity and allow us to sit at the table and partner with brands to deliver true commercial results.

What do you feel have been the greatest industry challenges for agencies this year?

The biggest industry-wide challenge this year has been balancing creative ambition with tightening client budgets and timescales. We're increasingly asked to demonstrate expertise across all channels and deliver innovative, impactful solutions at speed. This demands connected thinking to maximise the whole marketing ecosystem from brand campaigns to e-commerce platforms and everything in between.

Has the addition of any AI solution made the profound impact on your business that was expected?

Yes, I think it’s made a much bigger impact this year than I expected. We now have WPP Open, the world's most diverse dataset across media, performance, client, and industry insights enabling us to enhance decision-making across the entire end-to-end customer journey improving efficiency and effectiveness. What we can do in a matter of minutes is incredible, creative work is becoming more personalised, and we can easily pre-test to ensure effectiveness and increase commercial results.

Creative Salon on VML's 2024

Just a year into its existence - following the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson last year - VML UK has reinforced the London office with some key appointments.

Hulbert's first big announcement at the newly merged agency in January this year was the appointment of Ben Worden, previously Wunderman Thompson UK’s head of planning, to VML UK's chief strategy officer. (Anna Vogt, the former chief strategy officer at VMLY&R UK, transitioned to VML EMEA chief strategy officer). On the creative front, she appointed Ryan McManus as UK chief creative officer. His previous roles include working as chief creative officer for North America, where he led for WPP’s client Ford. Prior to that, he was CCO at VMLY&R South Africa for five years, where he oversaw the merger of VML and Y&R to become a full-service integrated agency.

Additionally, Kate Nettleton stepped up as VML UK’s head of strategy, while Claire (Ellison) Tusler joined as head of data analytics and consultancy from VCCP. Claudia Wallace, former managing director of BMB, also joined VML as UK managing director, marking her return to WPP.

VML celebrated a significant win this year by becoming pharmaceutical company Perrigo's global strategic and creative partner. The network has already commenced projects for 16 of these brands in the UK, Italy, France, and the Netherlands.

On the awards circuit, VML's stature rose dramatically, earning the title of Global Network of the Year at the Gerety Awards, which highlights advertising that resonates with a female audience. VML has received an impressive 140 recognitions this year, including six Grand Prix, solidifying its position as a leading force in global creativity. This summer, VML London and New York secured a Silver Lion for 'Sound Scales' in the Creative Commerce category at the Cannes Lions, while the agency also received a Silver Lion in the Health & Wellness category and a Bronze Lion for the 'Beko Inheritance' campaign.

VML launched the The Future Shopper 2024 report, exploring the evolving shopper landscape globally and identifying new opportunities for brands to drive long-term success.

As part of its commitment to social responsibility, VML continued with its annual tradition of closing more than 100 offices worldwide on September 26 for its Foundation Day, dedicating the day to volunteer projects that support various non-profit organizations. Over the past two decades, VML has collectively supported more than 250 causes through this initiative.

May, this year, marked the 20th anniversary of the partnership between HSBC and VML, underscoring the agency's longstanding commitment to client relationships. Next year we looked forward to see what comes from its 80 years with KitKat.

In 2024, VML engaged consumers with a series of impactful campaigns. The agency crafted a timely out-of-home advertisement for KitKat, recognising the UK's frigid temperatures and capturing the all-too-familiar struggle of scraping ice from car windscreens in a clever execution that went from idea to launch in just 36 hours. Additionally, KitKat's "Break Better" campaign underscored the importance of taking genuine breaks from the chaos of daily life.

VML also took on car safety with the innovative 'UNXPECTD FM' campaign for Think!, featuring familiar faces from popular UK shows to create a life-saving “pirate radio station” that delivers crucial safety messages to drivers when conditions become hazardous.

Another creative highlight included its work for Baileys. The drinks brand turned to VML for a unique audio innovation with 'Sound Scales,' allowing consumers to not only measure the contents of their bottles but also discover delicious recipes to try. Another standout project was the 'World Unseen' campaign developed for Canon, which aimed to inspire accessible photography for the blind and visually impaired, showcasing the agency's commitment to inclusivity.

Earlier in the year, the agency launched a powerful campaign designed to improve fan accessibility in football by using haptic technology while raising awareness of the live sports experience for people who are deaf or have hearing loss.

The 'Unsilence The Crowd' campaign for live events and experiences company Sela - and the leading front-of-shirt sponsor of Newcastle United FC - aimed to break barriers in football accessibility. The campaign introduce haptic technology into replica match shirts to transform the noise of the stadium into real-time touch sensations that allow deaf fans and fans with hearing loss to experience the atmosphere of a football match in a completely new way.

Creative Salon says: 2024 was the official launch of the agency. Now that the new leadership has taken shape with CEO Pip Hulber, CCO Ryan McManus and CSO Ben Worden, the agency has already started redefining the connected agency model.

For this merged UK network which probably has more history than any other agency, an integrated offering and bringing new clients through the door alongside a wave of a strong bench of recruits has chalked up a successful year for Hulbert. We are expecting so much more to come.