In the last six years, we’ve surveyed thousands of brands and agencies about their relationships. Each year, the data tells the story that brands want a partner they can rely on, but finding that partner often is difficult, expensive, and time consuming.
Read what brands are looking for in the perfect agency partner.
Read MoreSetup’s 2025 Marketing Relationship Survey gives marketers a rare, honest look into what brands and agencies say is working and what quietly destroys partnerships.
The truth is that relationships fail because of patterns, mistakes that pile up over time, even after multiple warnings. So here are the most common red flags and green flags in the agency-client relationship based on what real marketers are telling us.
Read MoreSetup CEO + Founder, Joe Koufman, sat down with Gabie Boko, the Chief Marketing Officer for NetApp, to talk about staying consumer focused, being bold, and loving the LEGO brand.
Read MoreSuper Bowl LX showcased brands pushing weight loss drugs, AI, and utilizing celebrities to an absurd amount (what’s new?), as well as another “Minions" movie in theaters (surprised but not shocked). Every marketer weighs in on who won their hearts…and this year, for us, it came down to brands that leaned into storytelling that included nostalgia and emotion, specifically with a human lens.
Read MoreAnd if you’ve ever been blindsided by a brand-agency breakup (from either side), you’re not alone. The 2025 Marketing Relationship Survey shows something that’s both surprising and painfully familiar:
Brands aren’t racing to leave… but they’re also not thrilled.
Read MoreSetup CEO + Founder, Joe Koufman, sat down with Don McGuire, the EVP and Chief Marketing Officer for Qualcomm, to talk about seizing the moment of opportunity, empathetic leadership, Louis Vuitton, and more.
Read MoreThe annual Setup Marketing Relationship Survey reveals a growing disconnect between what clients say ends agency relationships (delivery + value) and what agencies think ends them (budget cuts + leadership changes). If you want stronger partnerships and better outcomes in 2026, this report highlights exactly where relationships break and how to fix them.
Read MoreSetup CEO + Founder, Joe Koufman, sat down with Brett Hannath, the Corporate VP, Global Marketing of Intel, to talk problem solving, transparent leadership, the bricks-and-mortar experience, and more.
Read MoreJoe Koufman, author of The Connector’s Compass and Founder + CEO of Setup, shares his passion behind relationship building and why he wrote a book centered around people pursuing more meaningful connections.
Read MoreOver the past year, we’ve watched the following patterns emerge across seemingly unrelated sectors: rising consumer expectations, demand for authenticity, growing complexity, and the tension between automation and human connection.
We interviewed multiple marketers from an array of industries in our blogs below, and we discovered consistent trends across the board. Check out all of our industry blogs throughout 2025 from leaders at Blackbaud, Hiscox USA, Mimedx, MONPURE, Kimberly-Clark Professional, and more.
Read MoreA call for marketers and agencies to participate in the 2025 Marketing Relationship Survey, before it’s too late.
Read MoreOn November 19, 2025, Atlanta’s vibrant marketing community united under one roof for the first-ever Atlanta Integrated Marketing Summit (AIMS) — a remarkable experience that turned inspiration into action, focused on meaningful connections, and highlighted incredible leaders from UPS, Kellanova, Edible Brands, and Papa Johns who are actively pushing the industry forward.
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