Setup Blog

Sometimes the best creative is born through limitations, red tape, and censorship. This blog explores how different brands like Levi’s and Coor’s Light navigate structure and rise to the occasion.

Atlanta’s World Cup moment is here, and arriving at a time when sports, entertainment, tourism, and brand storytelling are increasingly overlapping. This is a significant marketing opportunity for everyone ranging from official brand sponsorships to local venues, neighborhoods, and cultural institutions to shape the visitor experience. How are marketers showing up and how should they?

The Devil Wears Prada 2 marketing campaign turned talk into tickets by partnering with the right brands, staying on theme, and harnessing nostalgia. What can you take away from this massive movie success?

The Atlanta Integrated Marketing Summit (AIMS) is a half-day event that brings Atlanta’s vibrant marketing community together to turn inspiration into action, build meaningful connections, and spotlight incredible industry leaders. We are excited to announce our first speaker of our growing lineup, Khalilah Cooper at Chick-fil-A. In this blog, she shares a sneak peek about her topic and conversation she will have with us at AIMS on October 8th at SCADshow.

Marketing is no longer just competing with other marketing, marketing is competing to stay relevant amongst entertainment itself and to become more integrated instead of disruptive. Audiences are comparing campaigns to more than just another commercial, they are comparing your ad to everything else — what they watched, played, streamed, attended, or shared this week. How can marketers become entertainers?

Jose Villa, the President & Chief Strategy Officer at Sensis and Chair of the Hispanic Marketing Council, shares his thoughts on Multicultural marketing - where marketers are spending and where consumers are shopping when fear and uncertainty take precedence.

At Setup, we sit in the middle of these relationships every day. We see what happens when a client sets an agency partnership up to win and what happens when they accidentally set it up to fail. So if you want better work, better chemistry, and better results, here are the most common “client behaviors” that signal trouble, plus what to do instead.

Designing for real life means embedding authenticity across the entire customer journey — from product to service to story — in ways that remove friction and deliver measurable and meaningful results.

Marti Walsh, the VP of Customer Experience and Marketing at Kimberly-Clark Professional, shares what it means to be an authentic leader and how to optimize operations honorably.

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.

Setup’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.

Super 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.

And 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.

The 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.

Over 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.

Joe Koufman, the Founder + CEO of Setup and newly elected President of AMA Atlanta, shares his vision for Atlanta marketing, and how marketers can work together to make that happen.

Setup is expanding its private agency network to help brands find better-fit marketing agency partners and give qualified agencies clearer paths through Setup Certified, Agency Assessment, and Sustainable Pipeline.

Our 2026 Case Study Showcase on Thursday, May 14, 2026 gave our agency partners the chance to showcase how they think, solve problems, and deliver results, and it gave client-side marketers the chance to ask questions, rank their favorites, and discover new ways of thinking and approaching strategies. 

In less than 90 minutes, attendees experienced a fast-moving lineup of creative breakthroughs, AI-enabled solutions, behaviorally informed campaigns, brand trust strategies, and measurable business outcomes.

In the five-minute TV segment about The Connector’s Compass: Navigate Your Way to Meaningful Relationships, I had the chance to explain something that has shaped my career for more than 30 years. Real connection is not about working a room. It is about caring about the person in front of you.

That message did not start with the book. It started with Setup.

Joe 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.

On 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.

Joe Koufman, the Founder and CEO of Setup, explains the benefit of reviving the Atlanta Integrated Marketing System (AIMS). Bringing AIMS back to Atlanta is a chance to unite our community, foster new connections, and share practical insights from across the spectrum. Read about how AIMS benefits the Atlanta marketing community:

On a bright August morning in Atlanta, marketers from across the city from brands like Hiscox, Coca-Cola, Church’s Chicken, and more gathered for Setup’s latest #MarketersBreakfast, ready to explore a topic on everyone’s mind: How can AI truly enhance, rather than replace, human creativity? 

Over coffee and conversation, attendees rolled up their sleeves for a hands-on, interactive session led by Aby Varma, the Founder of Spark Novus.

At Setup, we work with some of the finest marketing agencies across the nation–each with a unique set of capabilities. Our most recent virtual event gave our partners a platform to share an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into their process, strategy, and campaign results for an array of industries in under two hours. Ten case studies in 90 minutes and a little friendly competition.

Great marketers never stop learning—so how are you investing in your team’s growth? From leadership coaching to AI-driven innovation, this blog explores the most effective professional development strategies to keep your marketing team sharp, engaged, and ahead of the curve.

Setup CEO + Founder, Joe Koufman, sat down with Monica Lopez Gonzalez, the Chief Marketing Officer for Feeding America, to talk about curiosity, action, trust, purpose, and what it takes to lead marketing in a mission-driven organization.

Setup CEO + Founder, Joe Koufman, sat down with R. Ethan Braden, the Vice President, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of Texas A&M University, to talk about courageous leadership, brand clarity, and what it takes to connect an institution’s essence to the people it serves.

Setup CEO + Founder, Joe Koufman, sat down with Katie Williams, the CMO of The J.M. Smucker Company, to talk about the balance between humility and confidence, curiosity in leadership, empathy, taking chances, and more. 

Setup CEO + Founder, Joe Koufman, sat down with Carlota Feliu Argila, the Head of Marketing for the Americas for Hewlett-Packard's Industrial Print Division. They talked about staying close to the customer, bringing clarity to complexity, leading with integrity and positivity, and what it takes to turn strategy into execution. 

Setup CEO + Founder, Joe Koufman, sat down with Thomas Winstanley, the EVP and General Manager at Edible Brands who is more specifically focused on edibles.com within Edible Brands. Winstanley shared how his failures led to his greatest success, the importance of a strong foundation, his favorite brand is a pencil, and more. 

Setup CEO + Founder, Joe Koufman, sat down with Francesco Federico, the Chief Marketing Officer at S&P Global, to talk about leadership, integrity, curiosity, brand admiration, and the lessons he has learned from marketing across both consumer and B2B environments.

Setup CEO + Founder, Joe Koufman, sat down with Stefano Marrone, the Chief Marketing Officer of Siebert Financial, to talk about creating processes, being both left and right brain, creative brands, and more. 

Setup 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. 

Setup 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. 

Setup 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. 

When we first featured Andrea Arnold in 2021 for our Women in Marketing Series, now Senior Manager, Thought Leadership & Content Strategy at Eaton, her perspective reflected a creative marketer with a strong strategic instinct and a clear belief in the power of story.

Back then, she shared, “At the end of the day, we are all compelled by the story of the product or service, whether at the business level or personal level.” Years later, Andrea’s perspective has expanded alongside an industry that now demands more speed, more systems, and more discernment.

The Setup Women in Marketing series spotlights incredible leaders making an impact across the industry. When we first featured Vanessa Jasinski, VP of Marketing at YES! Communities, her perspective centered on people. That belief anchored her approach to marketing in 2021 when we first interviewed her and still does today five years later. But as the industry has rapidly evolved, so has the way she applies that mindset.

We’re continuing our Women in Marketing series by spotlighting incredible leaders making an impact across the industry. From career pivots to leadership lessons, we’ve been sharing the inspirational stories of women in marketing since 2019. These leaders share the experiences and insights that have shaped their journeys, and provide advice for upcoming marketers. 

Designing for real life means embedding authenticity across the entire customer journey — from product to service to story — in ways that remove friction and deliver measurable and meaningful results.

Marti Walsh, the VP of Customer Experience and Marketing at Kimberly-Clark Professional, shares what it means to be an authentic leader and how to optimize operations honorably.

At Setup, we’ve had the privilege of speaking with some of the most influential women in marketing over the years—leaders who are driving change and making an impact in their organizations and beyond. Here’s what we’ve learned from their stories.

Our latest virtual Women’s event was themed “Marketing for Good - Turning Passions into Action,” where marketing leaders discussed the internal and external benefits of cause-driven marketing. Attendees included Setup Agency partners as well as members from established Brands at Cox, FIS, FedEx, Great Clips, Kimberly-Clark, The Home Depot, and more. 

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.

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.

At the latest “In This Dame and Age” event, the Setup team pulled out a list of hot trends that marketing leaders were prioritizing over the last year. We tracked the Top 10 Marketing Trends by Marketing Leaders from multiple interviews with marketing professionals, and polled this year’s Women’s Event attendees to expand on the relevance and usefulness of certain topics. Are trends like “metaverse” still hot, or not? What are the latest updates with AI? Our attendees shared some fruitful insights!

The Setup Women in Marketing series highlights the thoughts and advice of prominent marketing brand and agency leaders in companies. Our most recent In This Dame and Age event encouraged women from all backgrounds to #ShareYourStory.

An hour of networking and discussion led to 4 key points women, and all marketing leaders, should keep in mind.

We love a brand that takes a step back to recognize and celebrate their audience. For International Women’s Month, Setup features five brands that shifted their messaging to empower women - young and old - to embrace their strengths and rise above all odds. 

The Setup Women in Marketing series highlights the thoughts and advice of prominent marketing brand and agency leaders. The contributors’ powerful stories and advice led to our all-women networking group: In This Dame and Age, where we host virtual discussions and connect women marketing leaders with one another.

The latest event about exploring and leveraging different Leadership Styles was attended by agency leaders and brand representatives from companies such as Invesco, The Honey Baked Ham Company, Great Clips, Slutty Vegan, and more.

The Setup Women in Marketing series highlights the thoughts and advice of prominent marketing brand and agency leaders. The contributors’ powerful stories and advice led to our all-women networking group: In This Dame and Age, where we host discussions and connect women marketing leaders with one another. The latest event we held a discussion about fostering Creativity + Connection in the workplace.

The Setup Women in Marketing series is focused on interviews of over forty women sharing their marketing career path, advice, and observations regarding the industry. Leaders ranging from Great Clips to Hiscox to Blackbaud shared their outlooks on Marketing and the upcoming trends that excite them most.

At Setup, we focus on amplifying the stories and voices of powerful trailblazers and thought leaders in the marketing space. Our Women in Marketing series and virtual women’s community “In this Dame and Age,” provides a space for marketing women to network and share their journeys.

This particular segment features advice and stories from marketing agency leaders at Response Media and Goods & Services.

Setup’s latest Women’s Event “In This Dame and Age” discussed the importance and power of Mentorship. Representatives from a variety of companies such as Truist, IHG, Regal Cinemas, Hiscox USA, and The Home Depot attended to network and share their stories.

At Setup, we love to amplify the stories and voices of those who make up the marketing community. As a part of that, we started a Women in Marketing series and a virtual women’s community “In this Dame and Age,” to provide a space for marketing women to network and share their journeys.

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 particular segment features advice and stories from marketing agency leaders at Fitzco, Morrison, and The Shipyard.

For the past few years Setup has highlighted the thoughts and advice of prominent marketing leaders in a variety of companies such as Aflac, Mizuno, Great Clips, Lionsgate, Blackbaud, and Regal Cinemas in our Women in Marketing series. The takeaways from these blogs were not only informative, but incredibly insightful for any marketer on their career path.

This ongoing series highlights women marketing leaders from different backgrounds and industries who continue to innovate and push the boundaries of their role. This segment features advice and stories from leaders at Old Dominion, Aflac, and YES! Communities.

To celebrate women in the marketing profession, we asked women marketing leaders from Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc, Rinnai America Corporation, and Celebrity Motor Cars to share their personal triumphs, tribulations, perspective, and advice about working in the marketing industry.

Over the past few months, Setup has highlighted prominent women marketing leaders who are making waves in their field. From advice on how to form stronger networks to advice on carving a place in a male-dominated field, these stories come from leaders of different backgrounds, industries, and passions, and are both inspirational and informative.

Featured today are stories from marketing leaders at Robert Bosch LLC, Fiserv, and Regal Cinemas.

The marketing industry is increasingly influenced and led by prominent women marketing professionals. In an effort to call attention to these powerful voices, we are releasing a regular series of blog posts highlighting the inspirational stories from women marketing leaders.

The stories, advice, and lessons featured today are from marketing leaders at Eaton, Little League International, and LIONSGATE.

At Setup we believe in the power of uplifting others and sharing their stories. Our women in marketing series highlights stories from impressive leaders in different industries who have overcome challenges in their field and continue to innovate and inspire others. This segment features leaders from The Bonadio Group, Bacardi, and Nuna.

More than half of Forbes’ Most Influential CMOs of 2020 were women. The marketing industry is increasingly influenced and led by prominent women marketing professionals. In an effort to call attention to these powerful voices, we are releasing a regular series of blog posts highlighting the inspirational stories from women marketing leaders.

The stories, advice, and lessons featured today are from marketing leaders at BIOMIN America Inc, Distant Lands Coffee, and Cats Footwear.

More than half of Forbes’ Most Influential CMOs of 2020 were women; it goes without saying that women are just as prominent and consequential to the marketing industry as men.

To celebrate women in the marketing profession during Women’s History Month, we asked women marketing leaders from Carvel at Focus Brands, Gardner Denver, Inc., and Blackbaud to share their personal triumphs, tribulations, perspective, and advice about working in the marketing industry.

A list of some of our favorite ads that empower women for #InternationalDayoftheGirl.

The marketing industry is overwhelmingly female. To celebrate the women who make up the marketing profession during Women’s History Month, we asked women marketing leaders from Interface, Hiscox USA, Mizuno, and Great Clips Inc. about their personal triumphs, tribulations, and advice about working in the marketing industry.