WPP Media and six universities are launching a new program that provides live media strategy training and the chance to score an entry-level job at the holding company.
IGNITION ’26 is a six week media strategy sprint that pits undergraduates from Sydney and Melbourne to compete in a live agency environment to crack a national brief for the youth anti-bullying charity, Dolly’s Dream.
The participating unis are Deakin University, Macquarie University, Monash University, Swinburne University of Technology, University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and Western Sydney University (WSU).
Students can join the program for Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) credit or as an elite extra-curricular challenge.
“This is a first-of-its-kind model for media education,” Swinburne University lecturer David Reid said. “Usually, universities compete for a handful of industry placements. With IGNITION ’26, we have broken down those silos.
“We are putting the brightest minds from six different universities into the exact same high-pressure arena, giving them real data, a real budget, and a real social crisis to solve. It gives students an unprecedented experience of a career in media.”
Mentored by WPP Media strategists and experts, the student teams will build a cross-channel media campaign designed to raise awareness of Dolly’s Dream and its vital cyber safety and anti-bullying prevention resources.
“The strategies these students develop won’t just sit on paper; they have the potential to enact real cultural change,” Dolly’s Dream head Sally Sweeney said.
“By challenging students to tackle bullying awareness and prevention head on, this program has the potential to spark meaningful action, shift attitudes, and connect more young people with the support they need.”
To mirror the dynamic reality of working at top-tier agencies, the sprint features a twist designed to keep participants on their toes and thinking on their feet.
Halfway through the six-week program, teams will face a simulated crisis or sudden budget shift and will have to pivot their strategies before pitching their final ideas to WPP Media leadership and Dolly’s Dream executives at the City Finals on July 24.
“The traditional graduate recruitment model is changing, and so is the workplace,” said Scott Laird, Chief People Officer at WPP Media.
“As the exclusive agency partner, IGNITION ’26 allows us to identify the potential of this talent by seeing them in action and how they perform in the room in a simulated environment. It also gives them a glimpse into the limitless opportunities open to them through a career in media. The stakes are high, but so is the reward.”
Registrations are now open to eligible undergraduate teams via the official IGNITION ’26 portal. Submissions close on Thursday, 29 May.
