WPP’s VML, the world’s biggest creative agency according to the holding company (certainly the most numerous with around 30,000 people) has filled a gaping gap with the appointment of Ryan McManus from New York as UK CCO. He has also worked in South Africa and Germany.
McManus (above) says: “From the moment I met the UK team I was blown away with the level of creative talent and depth of capabilities. To me, the UK is a candy store of incredible future-facing skills that can truly serve the bespoke needs of our clients. I can’t wait to be a part of the alchemy and guide the creative department to make outstanding work that drives meaningful change.”
McManus replaces the then VMLY&R CCO Laurent Simon and Wunderman Thompson’s Steve Aldridge who both shipped out before the merger into one VML in 2023.
VML, unlike its component parts, was never a big player in London before the merger and, in some parts of the world, finds itself a somewhat brand-less behemoth although its reputation is stronger in the US. Interestingly McManus’ VML New York won this week’s D&AD Agency of the Year accolade.
Ogilvy, which remains a powerful and established creative agency brand, has been the shining light in WPP’s creative line-up recently. Not that such agencies are immune to holding company tribulations. Interpublic’s FCB won the One Show’s Network of the Year a week ago only to announce it was making 9% of staff in Chicago redundant as it lost Pfizer to Publicis (Pfizer was also blamed by WPP for some of its recent travails.) Ogilvy won Network of the Year at D&AD.
McManus at VML has been charged with working on global accounts. VML globally badly needs more of these (although it is a contributor, alongside Ogilvy and other WPP agencies) to Coca-Cola’s bespoke OpenX agency which has so far performed well. But with 30,000 mouths to feed across the world, London remains a vital flagship as holding company agencies face a renewed challenge from sparky independents on top of falling budgets. So not the easiest task for a new CCO from across the water.
