Mile Marker acquires Lift to enhance its creative and digital performance chops

Lift, which describes itself as a performance content and creative agency across traditional and digital channels, will continue to operate as Lift, a Mile Marker agency. The two agencies first met in late 2025, brought together by Lightview, said Scott Shamberg, Mile Marker’s CEO.

“We knew we needed to fill a performance creative gap in what we we’re building in terms of capabilities, but it’s also in terms of where performance creative and the data that can come with it fills into our stack,” explained Shamberg. “Lift has 20 years of very conversion-driven performance creative both in the offline space, which is a part of our omnichannel landscape, as well as the performance creative elements of digital and data. So I think the appeal for us was, here’s a great piece of clay that we can mold and build in partnership with Tim and his team over time.”

The Tim in question here is Tim Carr, Lift’s CEO and founder of LIFT, who now takes on the role of Mile Marker’s chief creative officer and oversees the agency’s content and production efforts, reporting to Shamberg. He believes Lift’s abilities help bring Mile Marker closer to delivering on outcomes for clients, which include Fresh Pet, DoorDash and Condé Nast. 

The idea is to bolt on Lift’s digital-first model and end-to-end direct mail services to help Mile Marker connect media strategy with execution across all channels, and give clients the ability to see the impact of a systemic creative dataset in their marketing layer.

“Our real superpower is providing creative solutions to help get outcomes,” said Carr. We were always a complimentary addition to an existing media relationship, and I recognize the need to be closer in unison with with the platform that Mile Market brings to the table, where ultimately we’re going to be more effective.” 

But the two agencies fit well together in that they both still value offline and traditional media elements when folded into broader campaigns — and the advent of AI-driven creative won’t necessarily change that, said Carr. 

“Part of the plan is to work together with Mile Marker to enhance our AI-enabled offering. Today it’s informing our creative output,” added Carr. “There are tools we’re using for efficiency, but I will also caution that we’re not depending on it. We’re still providing the human element, for example, with offline direct mail. You don’t depend on AI by itself to decide what you’re going to be putting on the tangible paper.”

Shamberg also sees AI’s value in helping to connect the data between creative and media to enhance both elements for clients. “The way to do that is to start to use some of the methodology that Tim on the Lift side around creative attributes — think headline color, call to action, stuff like that,” he said. “They can be signals for optimization when you tie them and you feed that data into a into a media platform.”

So far, clients appreciate what they’ve been getting out of Lift, and expect to get more outcomes insights once the two agencies are operating as one. ”Based on my experience working with Lift, I can say this is a powerful combination of capabilities,” said Michael Ribero, svp of global consumer revenue at Condé Nast. “The future isn’t more media channels or more data; it’s better integration of the signals that drive decisions. Bringing media, creative, data, and offline insights together should create a much clearer picture of what’s working and where to invest next.”