VML

VML is having a moment. The ‘Wonderfully, Uncomfortable Human’ creative shop was a shining light for Australia at Cannes, Spikes, the Effies and plenty of other shows in between.

It stole the show at Spikes Asia, claiming 14 awards and being named Australian Agency of the year.

Eye catching work included KitKat’s ‘Break Chair’ which utilised gaming streamers to give hardcore gamers a chance to score KitKat’s when they took a break.

Its ‘Thanks For Coke Creating’ campaign, a global VML collaboration with Coca-Cola cleaned up at the D&AD and New York Festivals, while ‘The Hidden Eye Test’ for 1001 Optometry, stormed AWARD Awards and won international acclaim at Cannes.

The campaign (see below) uses cleverly designed billboards that let people with poor eyesight know they need an eye test.

‘Legacy Larger’ was one of the standout campaigns of the Cairns Crocodiles, helping the agency pick up seven Crocs.

Meanwhile, ‘Commuter Camo’, another banger for KitKat, disguised commuters who want a break on public transport with Hoodies designed to blend in with the public transport seats.

All up, VML won more than 60 awards across the world with work that not only pushed the boundaries of creativity and effectiveness, but also celebrated innovation.

It’s the sort of creative performance that Tame Impala’s mastermind Chris Parker would stand uop and take notice.

This sort of success doesn’t come by chance, VML spent 2024 laying the groundwork for success including a ‘Creative Spectrum’ framework that champions creative excellence and an unwavering focus on impactful outcomes.

This was brought to life via an entirely new value stream that crafted a partnership with Rip Curl.

VML shattered the conventional ‘fee for service’ model by aligning both parties around a shared subscription revenue model with governance, IP ownership, roadmap evolution, and performance measurement contractually embedded under a Master Project Agreement.

For an industry often trapped in fee compression and short-term thinking, this innovative model offered a clear, outcomes-linked blueprint for VML (and the industry) for the future.

The Advisory Panel were particularly impressed by this “fresh thinking” to a commercial model.

VML’s approach also led to new business success.

It won 60 per cent of the pitches it contested, winning clients including University of WA, Kubota and Museums Victoria while retaining Horizon Energy, the Department of Justice, Shell and more.

It only lost one client in Synergy.

On the talent front, VML made one notable change when its commerce MD Kate Warren-Smith left the business after the global network decided to fold in its e-commerce practive.

Thomas Tearle led VML to great heights in 2025, and has since handed over the leadership baton to Paul Bradbury, the former TBWA leader and industry stalwart.

Meanwhile, Charlie Dejean won Creative of the Year in B&T’s 30 under 30, and also took out the Grand Prix.

The agency is not only in safe hands today, but is developing some of the finest creative leaders of the future.