When I joined WPP three years ago, I was impressed with a new company’s purpose of using creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients, and communities.

As we break for Christmas and look worldwide, our agency’s work for clients has lived up to that purpose in a challenging year for humanity.

Client work included everything from helping to design the world’s first carbon-neutral TV to an AI-powered campaign that supported local businesses across India for Diwali and an immersive experience on the plastic crisis that helped protect over 22,000 square kilometres of ocean.

WPP in 2021 made real progress within our own company: the launch of our industry-leading net zero commitment, the creation of our Mental Health Allies network, celebrating the first successful applicants to our Racial Equity Programme, joining the Business Coalition for the Equality Act, our second NextGen Leaders programme (with participants from 60 countries, 50% US/UK participants identifying as Black, Asian or Latinx, and over 60% female representation) and countless other initiatives led by our brilliant people and agencies.

In a pandemic many parts of the world, people still can’t access COVID-19 vaccines. So WPP this month teamed up with the WHO Foundation to give everyone at the company the chance to buy a gift that truly matters this festive season.

The $5 vaccine campaign calls on people everywhere to play their part in vaccinating the world by spending the price of a coffee on a shot that could save someone’s life.


The money raised will fund COVID-19 vaccines for lower-income countries, protecting those who need vaccines the most.

As well as creating and delivering the pro bono $5V campaign (thanks to Ogilvy, Blue State, Landor & Fitch and GroupM), WPP is donating 10,000 vaccines on behalf of our clients, and will match every $5V bought by our own people.

So please buy yours today, and help end vaccine inequity.

Commercially, too, we’ve had an outstanding year, as the company grew at the fastest rate in its history.

A string of wins in many of the year’s biggest pitches – from Unilever and Bayer to Beiersdorf, L’Oréal and Sainsbury’s – culminated in the Coca-Cola Company the biggest of them all.

There really is no other organisation quite like WPP. Being part of this incredible company – with our 100,000 talented people, huge range of capabilities and presence in 110 different countries – means you get to be part of a unique opportunity to help bring about change in ways that others in our industry cannot. That’s why we call ourselves the creative transformation company.

Merry Christmas all and see you in 2022.