Better-fit opportunities
Setup looks for alignment across the brand need, timing, budget, category, scope, and agency strengths before deciding which agencies may belong in the conversation.
For Agencies
Grow through better-fit brand opportunities.
The Setup Agency Collective is for agencies that want to be considered for brand opportunities that actually make sense. We get to know what your agency does best, where you are strongest, what kinds of clients you serve well, and which opportunities are worth your time.
Selective by design. Built for agencies ready for a closer relationship with Setup.
Brands come to Setup when they need agency help
Trusted by marketers at brands including
What It Is
What is the Setup Agency Collective?
The Setup Agency Collective is for agencies that want to be considered for better-fit brand opportunities.
We get to know what your agency does best, where you are strongest, what kinds of clients you serve well, and what opportunities actually make sense for your team.
Then, when a brand comes to Setup with a relevant need, we have the context to know whether your agency should be part of the conversation.
Why Agencies Join
Most agencies do not need more random leads.
They need better-fit brand opportunities — the kind where the need is clear, the timing is real, the budget makes sense, and the agency is actually a strong fit for the work.
Less wasted time
Not every opportunity is worth chasing. The Collective helps accepted agencies stay closer to the kinds of conversations that are more likely to make sense from the start.
A team that understands your agency
We get to know what your agency does best, where you are strongest, who you serve well, and what kinds of opportunities are actually worth your team’s time.
The goal is not more names in a database. It is better context, better alignment, and a clearer reason to be part of the right brand conversation.
How It Works
First, we need to understand your agency.
Before an agency can join the Setup Agency Collective, we need a clear view of where the agency fits, what it does best, and what kinds of opportunities actually make sense.
01
Agency Assessment
We assess where your agency fits.
We look at your positioning, proof, ideal client profile, services, category experience, readiness, conflicts, minimum scope, and growth goals.
02
Alignment
We align on what makes sense.
We talk through the kinds of clients, categories, budgets, scopes, and opportunities your agency is best positioned to support.
03
Collective Fit
You join if there is strong fit.
If there is clear alignment, accepted agencies enter the Setup Agency Collective and stay more closely connected to Setup over time.
04
Opportunity Consideration
We consider you when the need lines up.
When a brand comes to Setup with a relevant need, we have the context to know whether your agency should be part of the conversation.
The point is not to put your agency on a list. The point is to understand your agency well enough to know when your team may belong in the right brand conversation.
Learn more about Agency Assessment →What Accepted Agencies Get
What accepted agencies get from the Collective.
The Setup Agency Collective is built around fit, not volume. Accepted agencies stay closer to Setup so we understand where they are strongest and when they may belong in the right brand conversation.
Fit-based opportunity consideration
Your agency is considered when a brand need lines up with your strengths, services, category experience, timing, budget, and readiness.
Deeper Setup alignment
Setup gets a clearer view of what your agency does best, where you are most competitive, and what kinds of clients are most likely to be a strong fit.
Better opportunity context
When there is a potential fit, you get more than a name. You get context around the brand need, stakeholders, scope, timing, budget, and decision process.
Ongoing visibility with Setup
Your agency stays closer to the team brands call when they need agency help, so Setup has your strengths in mind when relevant needs come in.
The Collective does not guarantee a fixed number of opportunities or new clients. It gives accepted agencies a more intentional way to stay understood and considered when the fit is real.
Why Setup
Brands come to Setup when they need agency help.
For more than 12 years, Setup has helped brands clarify what kind of agency partner they need and connect with qualified options worth meeting. The Setup Agency Collective builds on that experience by helping accepted agencies stay closer to the team brands trust when the right need comes in.
1,400+
brand and agency connections made through Setup
“The close rate on the opportunities Setup brings us has been higher because they are already packaged and qualified.”
Kit Hues, Look Listen
Agency Growth Resources
Fresh thinking for stronger agency growth.
Explore agency-focused insights designed to help strengthen positioning, improve pitch quality, and build stronger brand relationships.
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Pitch to Win
Improve your pitch story.
Get the free Art of the Pitch playbook, built to help agencies tell better stories, sharpen their pitch, and prove value more clearly.
Download the Playbook →Tools + Resources
Strengthen your growth engine.
Access guides, templates, and tools designed to improve pitch effectiveness, sharpen positioning, and support smarter agency growth.
Access Resources →Brand-Side Perspective
Understand how marketers think.
Explore conversations with CMOs, senior marketers, and brand-side practitioners to better understand marketer priorities, decision-making, and agency expectations.
Agency FAQ
Common questions about the Setup Agency Collective.
The Collective is selective by design. These answers explain how Setup evaluates fit, what agencies can expect, and what the Collective does — and does not — guarantee.
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A: Setup works with agencies in different ways depending on their goals, readiness, specialization, and fit. Setup Certified is best for agencies that want a credibility credential and placement in Setup’s private agency database. Agency Assessment is best for agencies that want a deeper evaluation of ICP, positioning, proof, and readiness. Sustainable Pipeline is Setup’s most selective agency relationship for agencies ready for deeper alignment and stronger-fit opportunities over time.
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A: No. Setup Certified does not guarantee leads, referrals, introductions, or opportunity volume. It is a credibility credential and a way to be included in Setup’s private agency database for future fit-based consideration.
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A: Setup Certified agencies have met defined criteria across experience, proof, capabilities, and readiness. Approved agencies can use the credential publicly and maintain placement in Setup’s private agency database.
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A: No. Setup’s private agency database is used internally to help identify potential agency fit when relevant brand needs arise. It is not currently a public directory.
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A: Agency Assessment focuses on ICP planning, positioning, proof, readiness, category fit, capabilities, and the types of opportunities an agency is best positioned to win.
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A: No. Agency Assessment is a deeper evaluation, but acceptance into Sustainable Pipeline depends on fit, readiness, category needs, capability, market demand, and Setup’s current Agency Collective composition.
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A: Yes. Setup works with a range of qualified agencies. Specialized agencies may be considered when their discipline focus, capability, proof, and market demand create a strong fit. Some specialized agencies may be better suited for Setup Certified, while others may be evaluated for deeper retained engagement.
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A: Opportunity expectations for Sustainable Pipeline are defined by the agency’s specific agreement and ICP. Sustainable Pipeline does not guarantee closed business; agencies still need to win the work based on fit, chemistry, pricing, capability, and the brand’s decision process.
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A: It depends on the engagement. Setup Certified is an annual paid credential for approved agencies. Agency Assessment is a separate paid evaluation. Sustainable Pipeline is a selective retained relationship with its own engagement model based on the agency’s fit, goals, and level of Setup engagement.
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A: Yes. Agencies that want to be considered for Sustainable Pipeline need to complete a deeper evaluation. Agency Assessment helps Setup understand agency fit, readiness, category relevance, capabilities, and whether deeper engagement may make sense.
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A: No. Setup Certified is not required before Agency Assessment. The right starting point depends on the agency’s goals, readiness, and fit. Some agencies may begin with Setup Certified, while others may be better suited for a deeper Agency Assessment conversation.
Next Step
Ready to become the right choice for the right brands?
Setup works with agencies in different ways depending on credibility, readiness, positioning, and growth goals. Let’s talk through where your agency is today and which level of Setup support makes sense.
Talk Through Your Agency Options