By Audrey Kemp

Copyright adweek

TruGreen has appointed WPP Media as its media agency of record following a closed review this summer, ADWEEK has learned. The nation’s largest lawn care company is also expanding its relationship with creative agency VML, creating an integrated partnership across media, creative, and digital marketing.

COMvergence estimates TruGreen’s total offline and digital media spend at $61.1 million. The Memphis-based company serves more than 2.3 million residential and commercial customers nationwide, making scale and efficiency key drivers in the search for a new agency partner. The incumbent on the business was Tinuiti.

The win adds to recent momentum for WPP Media, which last month secured Mastercard’s $180 million global media account.

Cindy Rose, a former Microsoft executive and longtime WPP board member, also officially took over as WPP CEO on Sept. 1, succeeding Mark Read after seven years in the role.

Alyssa Puketza, SVP and CMO at TruGreen, said WPP Media’s integrated model made the difference.

“WPP Media and VML’s integrated offering provides a holistic solution that bridges creative and media,” she told ADWEEK. “This gives us access to the scaled capabilities of WPP Media, drives efficiency, and ensures media and creative are working harder to break through and build stronger consumer connections that fuel growth.”

Puketza pointed to WPP Open, the company’s AI-powered marketing platform, as a major advantage. “With shared data and insights, teams across WPP Media and VML can create a consistent thread from strategy through activation—ensuring we reach the right audience, at the right time, with the right message.”

The win also deepens TruGreen’s ties to VML, which has served as its lead creative and social agency since 2024.

“As we expanded our media partnership with WPP Media, it created a natural opportunity to broaden VML’s scope as well,” said Puketza. “Their remit now goes beyond creative and social into areas such as performance marketing, brand sponsorships, web, and SEO, giving us more connected storytelling across channels.”

VML’s expanded role, coupled with WPP Media’s AOR status, reflects TruGreen’s push to better align creative and media for more consistent consumer experiences.

Alycia Mason, president of WPP Media Midwest, said the engagement showcases WPP’s integrated approach.

“By working together as one integrated team, connected by WPP Open, we’re able to bring TruGreen the full breadth and scale of our advanced data capabilities and creative excellence with the efficiency and innovation TruGreen demand as a leader in the marketplace,” Mason said.

“This partnership is about more than buying media,” Puketza added. “It’s about building stronger connections with our customers and fueling our growth for years to come.”