VML Reviews

Everything else. The most dysfunctional and unhealthy team/work environment I've ever experienced. The managers say incredibly inappropriate things to women, HR doesn't care. Feedback is sugar coated and not beneficial to anyone. Managers won't communicate expectations or overall information properly. Team members will speak to you in the most degrading, condescending tone. Account teams mismanage money and get away with sending more account teammates than creatives on production, creatives who actually created the entire campaign, just so they can have their "buddy" with them on a vacation. They have a spreadsheet where they can see every person's salary on the team and they pass it around laughing at who makes the least. No room for growth, no room for raises, no room for promotions. Managers don't care if you succeed. They will take credit for your work. They have no higher ups holding them accountable so they get away with harassment and retaliation. They will let you go with no explanation. After the merger, you are absolutely 100% just a cog in the machine. They do not care about you as a human being. They literally could not care less about you unless you are bringing them money. Do not waste your time.

I spent almost 20 years with WPP, primarily in managerial and director roles, with my last three years at VML. During my time at VML, I encountered an upper management that was overly top-heavy and disconnected from the reality on the ground. Their main concerns seemed to be maintaining the facade of VML and planning their luxurious stays at Cannes. After dedicating the majority of my career to WPP, I was blindsided by a layoff. I was informed by someone I barely knew and given no substantial explanation, just a generic response, "nothing to do with your performance". The person who should have informed me avoided the responsibility and instead had someone I had no relationship with deliver the news. Despite my nearly two decades of service, I received the same severance package—10 weeks and no healthcare—as those with less than five years of tenure. Having been on the other side of these situations, I know how difficult it is to inform someone they've lost their job. It's one of the toughest responsibilities, and there's a right way and a wrong way to handle it. It's crucial to be responsible, accountable, compassionate, and to strive to be better. There is no loyalty anymore. Look out for yourself, because to them, you are simply a number, primarily a salary number.