Published on: August 18, 2026
The University of New England (UNE) has expanded its long-standing partnership with dentsu through a new multi-year agreement that brings together TAG, Dentsu Creative Public Relations (DCPR) and Dentsu Digital under an integrated marketing model.
The expanded partnership builds on more than 15 years of collaboration between UNE and Carat, now part of dentsu. Under the new structure, TAG will oversee creative, social and production, while DCPR will lead public relations and Dentsu Digital will manage digital capabilities. The three businesses will operate as a unified client team.
The new model comes as UNE adapts its marketing approach to a rapidly changing higher education sector, marked by evolving student expectations, increased competition and the growing role of artificial intelligence. The integrated setup is designed to bring audience insights, media planning, creative, earned communications and digital experiences together around a shared understanding of current and prospective students.
Michaela Lobb, Director of Marketing, University of New England (UNE), said the partnership represents an evolution of the organisation’s long-standing media relationship and will support its broader strategic priorities:
“As the scope of marketing continues to expand, teams need to think differently about how capability is built, accessed and scaled. A well-designed network partnership extends UNE’s capability, providing access to specialist expertise, technology and new opportunities, at a pace that would be difficult to achieve internally.
“Over the past 12 months, we have worked with dentsu to develop this model, building on our 15+ year relationship. We have created an embedded partnership that connects UNE’s internal expertise with the breadth of dentsu’s media, creative, public relations and digital network through one way of working.
“The model has been designed to support UNE’s strategic plan and grow with our organisational priorities. For me, the value of an integrated network partnership lies in being close enough to understand the organisation and help shape its direction, whilst having the breadth to mobilise our capability and create opportunities as the market changes.”
The partnership will allow UNE to access dentsu’s specialist capabilities while maintaining an embedded working relationship with its internal marketing team. The model is also intended to provide greater flexibility to respond to emerging market opportunities and changing organisational needs.
Chris Ernst, Chief Practice Officer, dentsu media AU, said the expanded arrangement reflects the strength of the relationship developed between the two organisations:
“Our partnership with UNE has been built over many years on trust, collaboration and a shared ambition to deliver meaningful outcomes. Over the past 15+ years, we’ve developed a deep understanding of UNE’s business, students and strategic priorities, enabling us to consistently deliver strong results.
“This next chapter is particularly exciting because it brings together the breadth of dentsu’s capabilities into one integrated model. By combining media, creative, PR and digital expertise, we’re helping UNE build a future-ready marketing ecosystem that can adapt to the changing expectations of students and the opportunities created by AI and emerging technologies.”
Through the expanded partnership, UNE and dentsu aim to create a connected marketing ecosystem that can scale across disciplines while supporting the university’s long-term growth and strategic direction.
Read more: Thrive Announces Senior Leadership Promotions Across ANZ
