In October, WPP shook the industry with news that it would merge VMLY&R with Wunderman Thompson, creating what it called the world’s largest creative agency, staffing roughly 30,000 people.

Jon Cook is at the forefront of this new agency, leading it as global CEO alongside former Wunderman Thompson CEO Mel Edwards, who is now global president of VML. The vision is to have a connected offering across three buckets — brand experience, customer experience and commerce — that provides a scaled solution across the globe.

But there’s much work to be done, such as integrating two cultures — which were both themselves the product of mergers in 2018 — as well as connecting back-office functions, processes and tools, all while continuing to service clients.

In this episode, Cook gives insight into his vision for VML, shares how the merger is going so far and offers a peek at what’s to come in 2024.

Listen to this episode and subscribe to Campaign Chemistry wherever you get your podcasts.

Hear Jon Cook speak at Convene: Creativity Converged in New York City on February 27.

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