Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) has launched a new specialist government division, set up to service its federal, state and local government clients nationally.
Based out of Canberra, and headed up by current head of investment for Dentsu X Nick Swifte, the division will be focused on generating and servicing opportunities outside the scope of Master Agency Media Services (MAMS) agreements.
“Having worked with Government clients for many years, we appreciate the complex and unique nature of delivering Government work," DAN CEO Simon Ryan says.
"DAN’s dedication to providing specialist expertise on Government communications is a real point of difference in Australia."
Swifte, an industry veteran, has worked with the DAN for more than 20 years and will relocate from the Dentsu X offices in Melbourne to Canberra as part of the launch.
The role of head of investment at Dentsu X won’t be replaced at this point, instead it will be covered by the existing team and fellow agency Amplifi.
“Having worked with government clients for many years, we appreciate the complex and unique nature of delivering government work. DAN’s dedication to providing specialist expertise on government communications is a real point of difference in Australia," Swifte says.
"Our brands such as Dentsu X, Isobar, Cox Inall Change and Columbus have worked extensively across so many facets of government communications over the years – from media to social to PR and more – that the opportunity to bring all these skills together, in a relevant and tailored way, with complete transparency, is truly exciting.”
As it currently stands, DAN is not currently involved with the major master media accounts across Australia's Federal or State Governments, aside from the Government of Western Australia, which it shares with recently appointed IPG Mediabrands agency Initiative.
The Federal Government MMA is held by UM, which won the account earlier this year, while MediaCom manages the state of Victoria, NSW is looked after by a panel of five agencies including GroupM, Havas, OMD, UM and Atomic 212.
The Queensland Government MMA still remains out for tender.
This marks yet another formation of a bespoke DAN unit to service a particular client base, with the holding group forming bespoke agencies to manage major clients including Woolworths and Disney earlier this year.
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