Grading VML's merger a year in with CEO Jon Cook

It’s always fun to look back at a big moment and reflect on it with some time and space as possibilities turn into reality.
That’s exactly what VML CEO Jon Cook has done nearly a year and a half after WPP merged VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson into VML.
Of course those combined agencies were mergers of their own, with Y&R having roots over 100 years old after launching in 1923. Large agency mergers have been all around the news lately, so The Current's Chris Brooklier spoke with Jon at CES about his reaction to these mergers, plus how AI is being refined and innovating past the 30-second ad on streaming platforms.
_______
To read the full stories included in this episode:
US Forecast Trends to Watch in 2025: bit.ly/4g5zsHA
The Current Report is our weekly news roundup of what’s happening in the world of digital media. We headline topical stories every edition - everything from connected TV to retail media networks to new initiatives around identity - offering our fresh take on why it's relevant for the marketing community. Subscribe: bit.ly/45HIaXH
_______
Each week, The Current gives you the most critical innovations in advertising that are happening on the open internet - identity, the future of TV, retail media, and beyond. Born inside The Trade Desk, The Current is a news platform dedicated to covering the latest in modern marketing - all from the front lines. Speaking to the marketing world’s most influential players, we explain what these seismic shifts mean, how they are happening, and why they are taking place: bit.ly/3SAM0wR