Dentsu Aegis Network unveils ‘Meidea’ Program linking industry + tertiary institutions in Victoria

Last night, Dentsu Aegis Network launched Meidea, a media communications program aiming to provide a stronger link between tertiary institutions in Victoria and the communications industry.

The Meidea Program will educate and advise students by providing a structured approach to learning about media communications by helping students from a range of disciplines understand the opportunities available to them within communications and related industries.

Meidea utilises multiple business units across Dentsu Aegis Network, including Dentsu Mitchell, Carat, Haystac, Amnet, The Story Lab, Columbus and Isobar – incorporating different roles such as media planning, strategy, creative account management, public relations and social marketing.

Meidea will strengthen relationships between Dentsu Aegis Network and tertiary providers and the program will be run by employees from multiple business units and disciplines (media buying, creative, public relations, strategy and planning) – giving students a broader understanding of media disciplines from an organisational and practical perspective.

Kyle Czech, digital executive from Dentsu Mitchell developed the Meidea Program, inspired by his own experience breaking into digital media buying from a public relations background.

Says Czech: “I wanted to develop a program that would speak to students from their own perspective and provide them with an overview of the opportunities available to them. In today’s communications climate, students can graduate with a degree in business and work across disciplines, such as media planning and buying.

“In its first session, Meidea attracted over 120 students from marketing and communications subjects at Melbourne’s RMIT, indicating an appetite for exposure to the industry. Our goal is that Meidea will form part of the compulsory course curriculum for certain subjects.”

Says Luke Littlefield, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network ANZ: “Meidea is a great initiative that will help to further our key values of building innovative brands, and provide tertiary students valuable insight into the media communications industries. Media and communications companies will benefit from graduates that have a holistic view of the industry landscape and what to expect when entering the workforce.”

The program will consist of two sessions per university institution taking part; the first session covering a broad range overview of multiple disciplines and practical information for students. The second session will dive into a hypothetical client brief, helping students to understand how they would approach a brief across multiple business units and how each works together in the broader picture.

The program launched yesterday at RMIT University Swanston Street Campus. For further information on Meidea, please contact: Kyle Czech, Digital Executive, Dentsu Mitchell, kyle.czech@dentsumitchell.com.au.