As Setup celebrates our 10th anniversary, we reflect on a decade of pioneering the art of marketing matchmaking. From our early days as AgencySparks to our rebrand in 2019 to become Setup and all the way to today, we've been dedicated to bridging the gap between brands seeking expert marketing support and agencies capable of delivering outstanding results.

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Milestones of Growth

Over ten years, Setup has evolved significantly, expanding our team, services, and geographical reach. In the 10 years since I founded Setup, we have made over 800 introductions between marketing leaders for major brands and qualified agencies that can fill gaps in capacity or capability. We have grown the team to seven full-time and two part-time teammates, who are brilliant, hardworking, and cohesive. We have added services for brands and agencies (Custom Agency Search, Marketing Ecosystem Planning, Recruiting, Team Building).

Impactful Partnerships and Success Stories

Our journey has been marked by successful partnerships, connecting brands with agencies that have propelled their marketing efforts to new heights. These collaborations have led to impressive marketing campaigns and lasting relationships that continue to shape the industry. We have consistently received feedback from marketers that our services have been invaluable.

Empowering Marketers Through Education and Events

Setup is committed to driving education and community building by hosting events, including #MarketingMixers, #MarketersBreakfasts, happy hours, and even helping put on an annual conference for college students called SPARKsouth. These gatherings are hubs for learning, networking, and inspiration, fostering a vibrant community of marketing professionals.

Looking Forward: The Next Decade

As we look to the future, our vision is clear: to continue innovating in marketing matchmaking while upholding our core values (honorable, approachable, insightful, tenacious, and innovative). We're excited to explore new frontiers, adapt to changing market dynamics, and keep connecting marketers with the perfect agency partners.

A Heartfelt Thank You

Our journey wouldn't have been possible without our clients, agency partners, and team. Your trust, collaboration, and feedback have been instrumental in our growth. Here's to another decade of success, innovation, and matchmaking excellence!

Join Us in Celebrating

If you are a part of the marketing community in Atlanta, we invite you to join us in celebrating this milestone on February 8th with fantastic company, food, and drink. This celebration is our way to thank our community and set the stage for the next exciting chapter in our story.

As I think about this 10th anniversary of Setup, I want to take a moment to acknowledge all of the people who helped make it a special company:

Early “Sparks” that helped propel me onto the path of entrepreneurship:

Kelly Deen, Jeff Hilimire, Genevieve Bos, Lisa Katz, Glen Caruso, Dave Williams, Jennifer Dorian, and Kelly Gay.

My Setup team, past and current:

Stephanie Peterman, Katia Herrera, Anastasia Kusmarteseva Fussell, William Denning, Kate Jacoutot, Sam Moran, Ethan Parrish, Tiffany Ujjin, Meghan Hilton Freeman, Kayla Floyd, Zevi Solomon, Madeline Evans, Amanda Mercer Thompson, May Amor Beja, Alexis Quarcoo, Evan Rosenthal, and Rhonda Beckmann.

Agency people we have had the good pleasure of working with from the early AgencySparks days to the current Setup times:

Joe Parrish, Keith Vest, David Mullen (The Variable), Simms Jenkins (BrightWave now Ansira), Vicky Jones (Brand Fever now Phase 3), Will DuPont, Daniel Davenport (Think, Inc now Capgemeni), Richard Warner (What’s Up Interactive), JT Hroncich (Capitol Media Solutions), Mark Pettit (Creaxion), Kevin Planovsky (Vert Digital), Jenn Leahy (Dragon Army), Joe Carter (Hencar), Steve Upton (Influent50 now AARP), Jolean Olson (Scenic Road), Tom Ellis (Swarm now SCS), Danica Kombol (Everywhere now MWWPR), Eduardo Perez, Ricky Echegaray (PM3 now Sensis), Moira Vetter (Modo Modo), Scott Preacher (blacQube), Brett Cooper, Richard Makerson (BlueFletch), Craig Kronenberger (Stripe Theory), Josh Perlstein (Response Media), Jeff Katz, Jason Rockman (DEFINITION 6), Adam Roe, Raghu Kakarala (FortyFour now Bounteous), Javier Santana, David Preiss (Launch), Keehln Wheeler, Steve Roe (MaxMedia), Mike Popowski, Adam Greenwald (Dagger), Brian Easter, Adam Harrell, Kimm Lincoln (Nebo), Rick Milenthal, Lance Pogrow (The Shipyard), Rob Farinella, Allie Clark (Blue Sky) , Andy Crestodina, Todd Gettelfinger (Orbit Media), Jeff McCurry, Robert Taylor (St. John), Henry Pellerin (VantagePoint), Snejana Daily, Hunter Johnson (Xpedition Media), Geoff Wilson, Kacie Gordon, Sara Saxner-Coughlin, Sarah Woodward (Three Five Two), Bob Morrison, Amanda Forgione, Rebecca Lentz (Morrison), Jeff Quick, Dave Fitzgerald (Fitzco), Graham Engebretsen, Scott Jennings (Goods & Services), Martin Stoll, Charles Cunningham (Sparkloft), Kit Hughes, Lisa Arsenault, Suzanne Morris, Laura Beaupre (Look Listen), Jared Belsky, Jack Ogilvie (Acadia), Joe Snowden, Mary Winslow (Luckie), Jon Meck (Bounteous), Eric Swanson, Mike Warin (Sagepath Reply), Elena Hengel, Clark Hjelmstad, Angela Voss (Marketing Architects), Jose Villa, Sergio Mankita (Sensis), Mark Homza, Philippe LeBlanc (Funday), Raj Choudhury (Alloy), Jake McKenzie, Matt McKenzie (Intermark), and Mike Silver (IMA).

Here is a sampling of some of the bright and capable clients who have worked with Setup to find agency support once or a number of times:

Neil Grossman, Andy Chang, Melissa Minihan, Tim Hernquist, Katie Kirschner, Jonathan Karron, Paige Farrow, Scott Thomas, James Peacock, Eric Racine, Maureen Kelly, Aby Varma, Sarah Fordyce, Barb Scherer, Leandi McMurphy, Alex DiMillo, Dan McSwanson, Teresa Caro, Jamie Quenzer, Scott Berg, Jennifer Ramsey, Sandy Zusmann, Marie LaPlante, Ellen Donahue-Dalton, Tracie-Ruth Miller, Dave Faupel, Diego Rodriguez, Lisa Hake, Lisa Kummer, Matt Weiss, Ed Riegert III, Leana Less, Catherine Jackson, Monique Crapper, Emily Kantsios, Trisha Amin, David Arnett, Tessa Horehled, Andy Monfalcone, Adam Naide, Jim Gerard, AK Singh, Stacey Vogler, Drew Hawkins, Tracy Niehaus, Mary Pettit, Shera Shrago, J.R. Ross, Angela Starkey, Spiro Papanicolaou, Steven Nghe, Brad Chicoine, Matt Konigsmark, Pete Srodoski, Cindy Kaufman, Kaylin Durham, Josh Kantor, Andrea Freeman, Catherine Locker, Stephanie Coleman, Jaclyn Cannon, Meagan Price, Bill Koleszar, Tim Minahan, Kaitlin Coghlan, Vicky Jones, Greg Smith, and Wan-Yi Sweeting.

Thank you to all of the people who have helped make Setup such a success over the last ten years. We look forward to working with you all as we grow for the next ten and beyond!

Humbly,
Joe

Blog

How Client-Side Marketers Find Marketing Agencies

According to the 2023 Setup Marketing Relationship Survey, Word-of-mouth and Referrals consistently remain the most frequent methods Clients use to find new Agency Partners.

This has been the case for the last five years of the Marketing Relationship Survey.

What does this mean for Clients + Agencies? How can they optimize their efforts with this knowledge?

CMO Spotlight | Joe Foster - Reebok

Setup CEO + Founder, Joe Koufman, spoke with the Co-Founder of Reebok, Joe Foster, about the foundation behind building a strong brand, the importance of listening as a leader, Winston Churchill, and more.

The Evolution of Marketing: How AI is Reshaping Marketing in 2024

In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, it might feel impossible to keep up. Staying ahead of the curb is as important as having your morning coffee – miss it, and you might find yourself dozing off at the wheel.

You can’t go anywhere without hearing people talk about Artificial Intelligence (AI), but it isn't just a fancy buzzword; it's critical to making sure you aren’t missing key opportunities. Elaine Fowler, Director of Market Strategy, Experience & Marketing at Sagepath Reply, shares how marketers can best optimize AI to improve their marketing strategy.

CMO Spotlight | Alec Hanson - loanDepot

Setup President, Amanda Thompson, spoke with Alec Hanson, the Chief Marketing Officer at loanDepot, about how his irrational self-confidence allows him to embrace his inner nerd, the beauty of perspective, the power of sales experience, and more.

Which Agency Services Are Clients Using the Most?

According to the Setup Marketing Relationship Survey, Clients leaned more heavily into content creation and video in 2023 than previous years by 15%. Since video content is more accessible to all types of people and is easier to consume and understand in short bursts, it makes sense that Clients would take advantage of platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. What other disciplines have been a brand priority?

CMO Spotlight | Alex Cwirko-Godycki - Aon

Setup President, Amanda Thompson, spoke with Alex Cwirko-Godycki, the Chief Marketing Officer of Human Capital and the Head of Digital Marketing at Aon, about his problem solving skills, the power of simplicity, United Airlines’ relatable motto, and more.

Client vs. Agency Side Marketing: Understanding the Different Career Paths

Marketers graduating from college often ask me whether they should pursue client- or agency-side opportunities for their initial job out of college. I tell them that in the long term, it is always best to get experience with both, but initially, a stint on the agency-side provides more opportunities to learn about different marketing roles, industries, and experiences than the client-side.

Joe Koufman, Founder and CEO of Setup, the matchmakers bridging the gap between agencies and brands, and Andrea Striebel, the VP of Marketing for Floor & Decor, share their thoughts on agency- vs client-side careers.

#MarketingMixer | Capability Showcase Recap - 10 Case Studies in 90 Minutes

At Setup, we work with some of the finest marketing agencies across the nation with an array of capabilities. Our most recent March #MarketingMixer gave our partners a platform to share an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into their process, strategy, and campaign results in under two hours. Ten case studies in 90 minutes, with some fun trivia in between, featuring an array of brands like adidas, ParkMobile, PAMA, Prudential, and more.

CMO Spotlight | Amy Comeau - Emory Healthcare

Setup CEO and Founder, Joe Koufman, spoke with Amy Comeau, the Vice President of Marketing for Emory Healthcare, to share about her journey from vocal performance and Opera houses to Healthcare, building collaborative bridges, passion for Publix, the power of her mother’s words, and more.

What Client-Side Marketers Want (and Don’t Want) from their Marketing Agency Partners

In the last 10 years, Setup has conducted five Marketing Relationship Surveys, connected over 800 Brands and Agencies, conversed with well over 1000 Brand-sides marketers, and enacted 50+ Agency Assessments for Agency partners. Here’s the secret: Clients just want to have good chemistry! But how do you develop it?

6 Questions for Inspirational Women in Marketing Series | Part 13

To celebrate women in the marketing profession and to continue highlighting them throughout Women’s History Month, we asked women marketing leaders to contribute to our Women in Marketing Series detailing their personal triumphs, tribulations, and advice about working in the marketing industry. Part 13 features leaders from Nationwide, NAPA, Neogen Corporation, and Pratt Industries, Inc.

CMO Spotlight | Pam Piligian - Navy Federal Credit Union

Setup President, Amanda Thompson, virtually sat down with Pam Piligian, the CMO and SVP of Navy Federal Credit Union, to discuss her admiration for Chick-fil-A, her experience at Ocean Spray, and her ability to charm consumers.

March Madness is in the "Air"

It may be hard to believe today, but the Nike basketball sneaker department was hanging on by a shoe lace, struggling to make any headway against Converse and Adidas in 1984.

What steps did the Nike team take to put them back on the map? And how did Michael Jordan impact that success?

6 Questions for Inspirational Women in Marketing Series | Part 12

Our ongoing Women in Marketing series highlights marketing leaders from different backgrounds and industries who continue to innovate and push the boundaries of their role.

This segment features the advice and journeys of leaders from CVS Health, Prudential, and more.

CMO Spotlight | Sheraun Britton-Parris - Cordance

In the spirit of Black History Month, Setup CEO, Joe Koufman, virtually sat down with Sheraun Britton-Parris, the Chief Marketing Officer at Cordance, to discuss why following her gut is her superpower, the importance of customer-centric marketing, and the inspirational story of how Nathan Nearest Green, an enslaved black man, taught Jack Daniels.

Why Clients End Their Agency Relationships + Why Agencies Think They Do

After surveying over 300 marketers on both the Agency and Client side, we were able to determine that there is a disconnect between why Clients fire Agencies, and why Agencies think they are fired. By pointing out this misunderstanding, both parties may be able to communicate better to salvage relationships or grow from the feedback.

Dissatisfaction with an Agency’s value is the number one reason why a Client ends an Agency relationship. But do Agencies know this?

7 Notable Marketing Lessons from Super Bowl LVIII Ads

Evan Rosenthal, Setup's Business Development Manager and resident football fanatic, shares his take on the 2024 Super Bowl ads. As a company that focuses solely on benefiting and evaluating marketers, we've seen our fair share of ads. These were our favorite.

The Personal Touch of Technology in 2024

In this industry blog featuring the Technology sector, we have insights from a Cyber Technology + Services company, as well as a Wireless Services company, giving us a wide perspective of the innovation and next steps for companies protecting and expanding our networks.

The following responses are from Colleen Murphy-Gomez, Vice President of Marketing, iBwave Solutions Inc., and Noa Benari, the Vice President of Marketing at Sygnia.

CMO Spotlight | Jacqueline Woods - Teradata

In the spirit of Black History Month, our CEO, Joe Koufman, recently virtually connected with Jacqueline Woods, the Chief Marketing Officer at Teradata. Join us in this insightful conversation that goes beyond marketing strategies and delves into Woods’ journey to becoming a marketing leader, advice she would share with other marketers, where she finds inspiration, and more. Let's honor and celebrate diversity, leadership, and the impactful journey of Jacqueline Woods.

CMO Spotlight | Ami Badani - Arm

Setup CEO, Joe Koufman, virtually sat down with Ami Badani, the Chief Marketing Officer at Arm, to talk about the power of relationship building, Louis Vuitton’s powerful impact as a brand, and more.

Marketing, the Applied Division of Psychology

Jake McKenzie, the CEO of Intermark Group, a leading firm in psychology-driven marketing, shares his thoughts on the Professional Services industry, and how marketers can improve their data use overall.

Setup's 10th Anniversary | Thank You

As Setup celebrates our 10th anniversary, we reflect on a decade of pioneering the art of marketing matchmaking. From our early days as AgencySparks to our rebrand in 2019 to become Setup and all the way to today, we've been dedicated to bridging the gap between brands seeking expert marketing support and agencies capable of delivering outstanding results.

CMO Spotlight | Kaylin Durham - The Aaron's Company, Inc.

Setup CEO, Joe Koufman, virtually sat down with Kaylin Durham, the Chief Customer Officer at The Aaron's Company, Inc., to talk about the importance of having tough conversations, how to be intentional and brave in your career, and why she admires Delta’s brand.

My Journey in Navigating the World of Agency Growth: It's Not Just Business, It's Personal

After over 20 years in the agency marketing world, Rhonda Beckmann, the SVP, Growth of Setup, shares her advice about what it takes to work in sales. In my career, I have discovered what separates the everyday salesperson from top-tier growth talent. It's not always a strategy that can be articulated, as most are just being their authentic selves. However, these inherent qualities are what make them stand out:

10 Marketing Industry Lessons from 2023

Our Industry Blog series is an informative cheat sheet to know what industry leaders are focusing on across verticals. Although every audience and product is different, the lessons we can learn and implement from one another will help elevate strategies, services, and business. These are the top 10 lessons from marketing leaders in 2023 that we’ve gathered across industries from Sports Marketing to Manufacturing and more.

CMO Spotlight | Efrat Ravid - Quantum Metric

Setup CEO, Joe Koufman, virtually sat down with Efrat Ravid, the Chief Marketing Officer at Quantum Metric, to discuss her approach to rejection, her transition from engineering to marketing, and more.

The Detail is in the Retail - Industry Updates

With the holiday season in full swing, the Retail industry is heavily on the mind. As a part of our Industry Blog series, we interviewed Angela Johnson, the Chief Innovation Officer at edible, about her thoughts on the Retail space, and what trends she is noticing. Having periodic conversations with marketing leaders not only helps us keep a pulse on every industry, but reveals common trends and challenges that all marketers face.

CMO Spotlight | David Reid - NOV

Setup CEO, Joe Koufman, virtually sat down with David Reid, the Chief Technology and Marketing Officer at NOV to discuss the importance of immersing yourself in the business, how to adapt your business during trying times, and more.

The Human Element Behind The Manufacturing Industry

Although we have covered the Manufacturing industry in the past, we spoke with some marketing leaders Andrea Arnold, the Senior Manager, Global Marketing, eMobility at Eaton, and Marcus Lennon, Sector Marketing & GTM at Jabil, to get the latest updates and news.

CMO Spotlight | Jaclyn Ruelle - Papa Johns

Setup CEO, Joe Koufman, virtually sat down with Jaclyn Ruelle, the VP Head of Brand at Papa Johns, to talk about the impact that a positive attitude can have on an organization, lessons she learned from an impactful campaign, and more.