Chicago Interactive Marketing Association

What Chicago Interactive Marketing Association does

Chicago Interactive Marketing Association (CIMA) is a non-profit, volunteer-run professional membership association founded in 1997 by five Chicago industry professionals (Colleen McGovern Wagner, Curt Galusha, Erin Ross-Goergen, Gina Fratarcangeli, and Rachel Saunders). The organization serves Chicago's interactive and digital marketing community, with 2,300+ active members and a broader digital following of 15,000+ across LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. CIMA is governed by a board of directors, VPs, and committee members across functional areas including Membership, Marketing, Education, Mentorship, Sponsorships, Philanthropy, Strategic Partnerships, Personnel, and Social/DE&I.

CIMA's core offerings include an annual Membership Program (with tiers for Agency/Brand, Publisher/Vendor, HR/Talent/Recruiter, Student/Educator, and Seeking Work members), the Mentorship Program connecting students with industry professionals, the quarterly Education Series on topics such as AI, mobile gaming, supply path optimization, and first-party data, the annual Star Awards gala, the Ticket Exchange matchmaking platform, a weekly newsletter, sponsorship programs, the philanthropy volunteer program (supporting Off The Street Club, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Cancer and Careers, and others), and the Career Center job board. The technology stack is limited to association management software (YourMembership.com) for membership, event registration, and e-commerce; no proprietary technology is developed.

The business model is freemium-plus-sponsorship: Agency/Brand, Student/Educator, and Seeking Work memberships are free, Publisher/Vendor memberships are $150/year, HR/Talent/Recruiter memberships are $50/year, and revenue is supplemented by event ticket sales, individual event sponsorships, multi-event partnerships, and program sponsorships (e.g., the Mentorship Program at $5,000). Distribution is regional (Chicago metropolitan area only), delivered through self-service website registration, an online event store, and channel partnerships with DePaul University's Kellstadt Marketing Center, IAB, General Assembly, and the Academy of Digital Media.

Name

Chicago Interactive Marketing Association

Legal name

Chicago Interactive Marketing Association

Website

https://chicagoima.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chicago Interactive Marketing Association (CIMA) is a volunteer-run, non-profit membership association founded in 1997 that serves Chicago's interactive and digital marketing professionals through networking events, education, mentorship, philanthropy, and the annual Star Awards gala.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Marketing Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conference Communications, Marketing & Community Engagement (THAHACAN), Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services (THAHACAK)

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Marketing networking events
• Digital marketing education
• Industry mentorship programs
• Corporate membership benefits

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: CIMA generates revenue through tiered membership dues. Agency/Brand members join free, Publisher/Vendor members pay $150 annually, and HR/Talent/Recruiter members pay $50 annually. Student/Educator and Seeking Work memberships are free.
2. Event Tickets and Sponsorships: Revenue is generated through event ticket sales and sponsorship packages. Events include the annual golf outing, yacht cruise, holiday party, sports games, educational luncheons, and happy hours. Sponsorship opportunities range from individual event sponsorships to multi-event partnerships.
3. Program Sponsorships: The Mentorship Program can be sponsored for $5,000, providing brand visibility across program materials, events, and communications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Chicago Interactive Marketing Association (CIMA) is a non-profit professional membership association for digital and interactive marketing professionals in Chicago. It sells tiered memberships (free for Agency/Brand, students, and job-seekers; $150/year for Publisher/Vendors; $50/year for HR/Recruiters) and generates revenue through event tickets, sponsorships, mentorship program sponsorships, and philanthropy initiatives. Its core deliverables include year-round networking events, a published Education Series, the CIMA Mentorship Program, the annual Star Awards, a Ticket Exchange, a Career Center, and a weekly newsletter. CIMA is operated entirely by volunteers and governed by a volunteer board.

Product overview

Chicago Interactive Marketing Association (CIMA) operates as a membership-based professional association for the Chicago digital marketing community. The organization offers a unified membership program providing access to networking events, educational programming, mentorship, career resources, and awards recognition. The core offerings include the CIMA Mentorship Program connecting students with industry professionals, the Education Series featuring quarterly events on topics like AI and mobile gaming, the annual Star Awards gala, a Ticket Exchange for members, weekly newsletters, sponsorship opportunities, philanthropy events, and a career center job board. CIMA is a non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers, with membership tiers for agencies/brands (free), publishers/vendors ($150), HR/recruiters ($50), and students/educators (free).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CIMA Membership Program Annual tiered membership program offering networking, educational events, mentorship, career resources, and exclusive discounts for digital marketing professionals in Chicago. Tiers include Agency/Brand (free), Publisher/Vendor ($150/year), HR/Talent/Recruiter ($50/year), Student/Educator (free with .edu), and Seeking Work (free 6-month).
• CIMA Mentorship Program Free one-on-one mentorship program connecting undergraduate and graduate students studying advertising/marketing with seasoned digital marketing professionals for career guidance. Sponsorship available at $5,000.
• CIMA Education Series Quarterly educational events including luncheons, happy hours, and curated curriculum covering topics like AI, mobile gaming, supply path optimization, and first-party data, delivered to CIMA members.
• CIMA Star Awards Annual awards gala celebrating excellence in Chicago's advertising, marketing, and media industry with campaign categories (Best Use of AI, CTV, Data, Gaming, Influencer/Celebrity) and individual awards (Entrepreneur of the Year, Digital Media Person of the Year, Salesperson of the Year, Rising Stars).
• CIMA Ticket Exchange Member-to-member platform connecting members to buy and sell event tickets for sold-out events, facilitating networking between agencies/brands and publishers/vendors. Facilitated nearly 100 connections.
• CIMA Sponsorship Programs Sponsorship packages for companies to reach CIMA's 2,300+ active members through educational events, happy hours, golf outings, yacht cruises, the holiday party, and the Mentorship Program ($5,000).
• CIMA Career Center Job board and resume posting service connecting marketing professionals with career opportunities, accessed via chicagoima.careerwebsite.com.
• CIMA Philanthropy Program Volunteer program supporting Off The Street Club, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Cancer and Careers, Royal Family Kids Camp, and One Tail at a Time through Third Thursdays volunteering and fundraising events including Battle for Hope and Drag Makes a Difference.
• CIMA Newsletter Weekly e-newsletter distributed every Monday featuring upcoming events, event photos, and industry news. Free for members; newsletter-only subscription available for non-members.

Quantifiable outcome

• CIMA helped facilitate nearly 100 Ticket Exchange connections
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• General AssemblyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership offering CIMA members access to General Assembly's educational programs in tech, data, design, and business. GA offers free virtual events and discounts on workshops and courses for CIMA members.
• IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAB is a trade organization for digital advertising with 650+ member companies. Offers CIMA members 20% off all e-learning and virtual facilitator-led classes. CIMA hosts IAB Spotlight events featuring IAB research and educational content.
• Academy of Digital MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining division of Laredo Group providing digital media training for 26+ years. Offers 15% discount to CIMA members for private training programs covering digital media strategy, planning, execution, and measurement.
• DePaul University (Kellstadt Marketing Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with DePaul University's Kellstadt Marketing Center offering marketing continuing education courses. CIMA members receive 15% discount using promo code CIMAM23. CIMA hosts educational events at DePaul Loop Campus.
• Off The Street ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago's oldest boys and girls club (founded 1900). CIMA volunteers monthly at OTSC and hosts fundraising events including Battle for Hope. OTSC serves 3,000+ kids in West Garfield Park.
• Greater Chicago Food DepositoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIMA partners with Greater Chicago Food Depository for summer repackaging volunteer events. Volunteers help repackage bulk food for distribution to local partner agencies.
• Cancer and CareersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization supporting working people with cancer. CIMA raised over $10,000 in 2023 through charitable events.
• Royal Family Kids CampminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable organization supported through CIMA's philanthropy initiatives.
• One Tail at a TimeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnimal rescue organization supported through CIMA's philanthropy program.
• InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia agency that co-hosted the Love Purse 2025 event with CIMA to support women in need through personal care item donations.
• MIQminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgrammatic media partner that co-hosted the Love Purse 2025 event with CIMA.
• GivslyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent organizer bringing Drag Makes a Difference events to support LGBTQIA+ community organizations including Brave Space Alliance and Center on Halsted.
• Paramount AdvertisingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresented Drag Makes a Difference event partnership with Givsly and CIMA.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Marketing Association (AMA): National nonprofit professional association for marketers with a federated chapter structure (e.g., AMA Chicago) that delivers membership, events, education, and awards to the same agency/brand/marketer segment CIMA serves. Most directly comparable in mission and member-value model.

Regional players

• The Advertising Club of New York: NYC-based industry association for advertising/marketing professionals hosting the ANDY Awards, social events, and educational programs. Closest geographic analog to CIMA but in a different market.
• She Runs It: NYC-headquartered nonprofit (formerly Advertising Women of New York) supporting women in marketing and advertising through mentorship, awards, and events. Directly comparable membership-plus-events-plus-mentorship model, anchored in a different U.S. metro.

Broad incumbents

• ANA (Association of National Advertisers): National trade association for the marketer/brand side. Operates events, training, and awards aimed at brand marketers — a core CIMA member segment — but at a national, multi-vertical scale.
• The One Club for Creativity: Nonprofit supporting the creative side of advertising, best known for The One Show and ADC Annual Awards. Comparable awards-and-recognition model to CIMA's Star Awards, but operating nationally and with a creative, not interactive, emphasis.
• Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB): National trade association representing digital advertising and marketing (650+ member companies). Overlaps CIMA's interactive/digital marketer audience on education, research, and policy, and is also an active CIMA strategic partner. Broader in scope and geography than CIMA.
• The 4A's (American Association of Advertising Agencies): National trade body representing advertising agencies. Shares CIMA's agency-focused audience and provides industry programming, advocacy, and benefits at scale across multiple U.S. markets.

Others

• AIGA (formerly American Institute of Graphic Arts): National professional association for design with local chapters, events, awards, and educational programming. Comparable nonprofit, chapter-based, community-and-events operating model in a sister creative-services discipline.
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA): National professional association serving PR and communications practitioners via local chapters, awards, certifications, and events. Adjacent to CIMA's marketing-focus in the broader marketing-services ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Social Media Club: Volunteer-led global community organization for social media and digital marketing professionals, with local chapters that run events and educational programming. Overlaps CIMA's interactive-marketer audience and similar volunteer-run operating model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cimaorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChicagoIMA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ericwhobrey
• Instagraminstagram.com/chicagoima
• Xx.com/chicagoima

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chicago Interactive Marketing Association