Mile Marker buys San Francisco creative shop Lift to join up media and content

Mile Marker only came into being in February 2025. It is already buying.

The New York media agency, formed when PlusMedia and Cage Point merged and backed by Lightview Capital, has acquired Lift, a San Francisco performance content and creative agency. The deal was announced on 9 June. Terms were not disclosed.

What Mile Marker is getting

Lift makes creative that is built to convert, across both digital and offline channels. That includes full direct mail capability, which is rarer than it sounds and pairs neatly with a media agency that buys traditional channels as well as digital ones.

Founder and CEO Tim Carr, who has more than 20 years in performance creative, becomes Mile Marker's chief creative officer. He will run content and production and report to CEO Scott Shamberg. San Francisco becomes Mile Marker's West Coast base.

Brands named in the announcement include Freshpet, DoorDash, Spectrum, TruGreen, Webster Bank and Harry's.

Why Mile Marker wanted it

The pitch is simple: connect what the creative says with what the media data shows, and prove what is working. Shamberg told Pulse 2.0 that rather than bet on one AI content tool, "we chose adaptability with LIFT".

Why it matters

Media agencies keep buying creative shops so they can sell outcomes, not just placements. A focused performance creative agency with a strong founder and channel skills like direct mail is exactly the bolt-on a PE-backed platform wants.

Built a specialist creative agency? See what buyers are looking for at Agencies.co.

Sources: Lightview Capital, Pulse 2.0, PrivSource