Why Atlanta Needs AIMS (and Why Now)

This blog was written by Joe Koufman, Founder + CEO of Setup.

Armed with 20+ years of marketing, business development, and management experience, Joe Koufman founded Setup to ignite relationships between marketing agencies and client-side marketers. His unique agency perspective – having worked at a small digital firm, an independent full-service marketing agency, and a massive holding company – is what inspired Joe to help marketers find agencies that are the perfect fit. He is the author of the upcoming book: The Connector's Compass - Mastering the Art of Business Matchmaking.

If you know me, you know I’m wired to connect people, ideas, and organizations. For more than a decade, I’ve helped brands and agencies work better together through Setup and service to Atlanta’s marketing community, serving on the boards of AMA Atlanta (president in 2026) and Fuse (formerly AIMA) for many years.

These organizations, along with peer groups across advertising, PR, and digital, have built something incredible. But I noticed something: we were doing great work in silos. Events, panels, and networking were happening everywhere, yet the complete ecosystem rarely came together in one room.

That spark gave rise to AIMS — the Atlanta Integrated Marketing Summit.

Why AIMS, and Why Now

Marketing today is deeply interconnected. Campaigns succeed when PR, digital, creative, media, and technology work together as one. As we surveyed Atlanta’s event landscape, we noticed a gap: no single gathering was bringing these disciplines together under one roof.

At Setup, we’ve spent more than a decade helping brands and agencies build the right teams and navigate the marketing ecosystem. Bringing AIMS back to Atlanta is a natural extension of that mission — a chance to unite our community, foster new connections, and share practical insights from across the spectrum.

In one focused afternoon, you’ll hear from brand CMOs and executives sharing perspectives from advertising, PR, digital, martech, and brand communications. However, this isn’t about celebrity speakers; it’s about real conversations and actionable insights that you can take back to your organization.

We’ve designed AIMS as a half-day (2:00–6:30 PM) because we respect busy schedules and want to pack value into a single afternoon.

Why These Organizations

When I started mapping out AIMS, I knew it had to feel inclusive and collaborative. That meant inviting the most influential marketing organizations in Atlanta:

AMA Atlanta (marketing across every discipline)
AAF Atlanta (Ad Club) (advertising and creative)
Fuse (formerly AIMA) (digital and interactive)
PRSA
Marketing AI Pulse
Additional organizations have been invited to collaborate and will be announced as they confirm.

Together, these organizations represent the entire spectrum of marketing. By bringing them together, we’re creating something bigger than any one group could do alone.

Why SCADshow

We chose SCADshow because it aligns with the AIMS vision: polished, inspiring, and built for connection. The theater seating and AV ensure every talk lands with impact, while the creative setting energizes the room. It’s the ideal backdrop for Atlanta’s premier marketing summit, designed thoughtfully by Atlanta SCAD students for Atlantans..

I wanted AIMS to feel polished and inspiring, and SCADshow gives us exactly that backdrop.

It’s Coming Together

A vision only works when the right people bring it to life — and that’s what our team at Setup has been focused on:

Bringing world-class speakers like Deisha Barnett (UPS) and Julie Bowerman (Kellanova) to share insights that matter.
Designing sponsorship packages that give brands meaningful visibility and ways to connect with 400+ marketers.
Shaping the event experience from check-in to Happy Hour so every moment creates new connections.
Managing the details so attendees can focus on learning, networking, and growing.

It’s a team effort, and we can’t wait to share that momentum with Atlanta’s marketing community.

The Bigger Picture

At its core, AIMS is about community and collaboration. Setup exists to connect marketers, and this event will profoundly strengthen Atlanta’s marketing ecosystem.

Atlanta is home to some of the brightest marketing minds in the country, from brand leaders and agencies to PR, creative, and tech innovators. It’s time we celebrated that together.

Whether you’re a CMO, agency leader, or an ambitious marketer hungry to learn, AIMS is your chance to step out of silos and into a more integrated way of thinking.

This isn’t just another event. It’s the start of a tradition that celebrates Atlanta as a hub for marketing innovation. And we couldn’t be more excited to see it come to life.

Register today or explore sponsorship opportunities.

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Setup News/EventsSetup - marketing matchmakersSeptember 19, 2025networking eventsComment