VML Catalyst Academy 2026 - India (Gurgaon)

About VML

VML is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave™ Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization. In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.

VML is a WPP agency (NYSE: WPP). For more information, please visit  www.vml.com, and follow along on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

VML APAC Catalyst Academy (Location: VML India - Gurgaon)

Are You Ready to Ignite Your Future?

At VML, we don’t just adapt to the future—we shape it.

And this is your opportunity to shape yours, with an 18-month, paid rotation across Account Management, Strategy, Creative and Digital. The Catalyst Academy is VML's flagship early careers program, grooming our future leaders by creating opportunities for rotational learning, structured programming, development and exposure to clients and internal stakeholders and decision makers! Get ready to discover a career, where creativity merges seamlessly with technology, and your groundbreaking ideas find a home on the world’s stage.

Who we are:

At VML you won’t just create ads, you’ll uncover disconnects in behaviour and culture and use your creativity to connect with consumers through the power of global brands. Our foundation is built on an unmatched creative legacy, combining over 300 years of expertise from iconic agencies like J. Walter Thompson, Y&R, Wunderman, and VML. This heritage gives us a deep well of creative excellence and a pioneering spirit of technological innovation from which to draw. This connected vision is powered by our 26,000 talented people across more than 50 markets. They are the soul of our company. Their varied perspectives, local expertise, and cultural insights are not just a competitive advantage but essential to understanding a complex world and creating work that resonates. Our culture is built on the belief that connecting these viewpoints is the most powerful driver of creativity and innovation.

This commitment to connection extends beyond our client work and into our communities. We’re proud to make a positive impact through initiatives like the VML Foundation, which has contributed over $3.2 million to charitable causes. Ultimately, VML is a partner in brand and business transformation. We bring creative vision and technical depth together, proving that when you connect every part of the brand experience around a human truth, you create brands that don’t just grow — they thrive.

At VML, we are unwavering in our commitment to hiring and inspiring the next generation of creative advertisers. And the 2026 Catalyst Academy is your opportunity to make your mark.

The Catalyst Academy, is an eighteen-month, fully paid, rotational program. During this period, you will work in and learn from four different departments and help to create meaningful experiences for consumers and customers in an all-inclusive work environment.

What You Will Do:

Core Responsibilities – Accounts Management

• Collaborate with all the team and client, effectively deliver full agency capabilities and support our clients in meeting their business challenges and objectives.

• Understand the client brief, work alongside all departments within the agency such as Creative, Data, UIUX and Strategy to ensure VML are always delivering the best solution, pulling in other members of the VML team as and when required.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and juggle multiple projects is a must.

• Support the Account Service team to effectively deliver full agency capabilities and support our clients in meeting their business challenges and objectives.

• Creating and managing campaign reports which document campaign creative and results.

• Opportunity to run smaller campaigns of your own (with team support and guidance).

• Project Management: Overseeing the execution of advertising campaigns, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and meeting client expectations. Like planning/proposal and execution of product launches/promotion schedules and other events or websites maintenance.

• Creative Briefing: Briefing the creative team on client requirements, providing direction, and ensuring creative concepts meet client expectations and brand guidelines.

• Communication and Coordination: Facilitating communication between internal teams such as creative, strategy, and production, as well as coordinating with external vendors and partners.

• New Business Development: Identifying opportunities for upselling or expanding services to existing clients, as well as participating in pitches and proposals to secure new business.

Core Responsibilities – Strategist

• Strategic planning: contribute to brand positioning, brand communications and creative campaign strategies, based on research using different research methodologies.

• Experience and service design: contribute to persona and customer journeys for new services and new experiences, infused by the brand and based on different design research and design thinking methodologies.

• Market research and analysis: Conduct regular trend, consumer, and market observations, and provide insights to support proposals based on different project needs.

• Advertising strategy development: The strategy team formulates comprehensive advertising strategies, including media selection, advertising formats, promotional activities, etc. Based on market research and brand positioning, they design suitable advertising plans to achieve clients' business goals.

• Familiarize yourself with various digital communication platforms and tools and offer optimization suggestions based on client objectives and strategic directions.

• Client communication and management: The strategy team works closely with clients to understand their needs and communicates and negotiates advertising strategies with them.

• Data-drive communication: contribute to touch point planning, performance marketing planning and data-driven personalised communication journeys.

• Contribute to brand positioning, competitor insights and creative strategy work

• Work closely with different teams to provide strategic inputs, market surveys, research etc.

• Understand and grow foundational skills across research, analysis and lateral thinking

• Contribute to the campaign implementation and its positioning and messaging across different channels

Core Responsibilities – Creative

• Write and revise innovative and imaginative copy according to creative briefs and deadlines.

• Works with entire creative team to develop inspiring integrated campaign ideas. Inspires creative thinking and develops work that helps our clients better sell their products to consumers.

• Perform ongoing research on current industry trends to maintain fresh and relevant perspective in all communications.

Core Responsibilities - Digital Specialist

• You will work with account management, creative, strategy & digital teams to deliver communication campaigns that create impact for our clients with the use of digital tools, content, and new digital assets & formats.

• You will be part of the team which is responsible for developing and managing digital marketing strategies and campaigns.

• Tracking digital marketing performance

• Creating and updating digital marketing reports

During this eighteen-month period, you will have the opportunity to complete the fully paid for IPA Global Certification. This certification is made up of self-learning modules as well as a final exam.

Please apply if you have the legal right to work in India (this is a fully on-site job in our office in Gurgaon). The program participants are not offered accommodation or local travel arrangements/allowances (we do not require previous work industry experience or knowledge)

Along with your online application/resume, you must submit your video profile to us on [email protected]. To be considered for the Catalyst Academy, we need both your resume and your video profile.

Video Profile Details:

At VML, being Human First is our guiding creative philosophy. We believe the most powerful ideas — the ones that truly move people and businesses forward — are born from a deep and empathetic understanding of human needs, desires, and motivations. Our Human First approach means we create value for people first, knowing that this is the most authentic and sustainable way to create value for the brands we serve. And we live by our Core Values, These are the guiding principals that drive all of our actions: Heart, Brains and Courage. Know more about VML's Core Values HERE

Create a compelling story as to who you are: how you resonate with VML's core values, why you decided to apply for the Catalyst Academy 2026, what really stood out for you and how that links to the future direction you want to head in (make the video a truly creative and authentic representation of who you are!)

What are we looking for?

* 90 seconds maximum

* Big ideas, not big budgets/productions, or big file sizes (record using only a mobile phone)

* We are looking for your ability to create a compelling story, demonstrate creativity and individuality, communication skills and outside the box thinking.

* We do not expect you to be an actor or seasoned speaker. If you struggle with presenting, you can be creative and think further than ‘piece to camera’ format. Be original and let your personality shine through.

* Submit the video in English (must)

Please complete your video and upload to a video streaming page of your choice (unlisted YouTube or Vimeo preferred). Once complete please submit the link of your video to [email protected].

We are working to ensure the process is as accessible as possible. If you require any accommodations, please let us know and we will work with you to ensure you’re comfortable and supported.

Thank you again for all the time and your interest in joining The APAC Catalyst Academy 2026!

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

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