In a major North American expansion, PUSH Media Inc. has acquired SCS (Schiefer Chopshop), marking its formal entry into the U.S. with new offices in Los Angeles and Atlanta, joining Canadian bases in Toronto and Ottawa. The merger unites two independent agencies with shared DNA in creativity, media, and technology — positioning the new entity as a next-generation marketing powerhouse.
As part of the move, PUSH has appointed Julie Berger as President, North America, based in Los Angeles. Berger, a veteran with more than two decades at Farmers Insurance, Giant Spoon, Initiative, Horizon Media, and GroupM, will lead operations and steer the agency’s evolution into what PUSH calls the world’s first AI-native, human-powered marketing agency.
“We believe the future of the agency business lives at the intersection of AI, technology, and human brilliance,” said Kyle Verge, Founder and CEO of PUSH Media. “The acquisition of SCS gives us the scale, talent, and cultural depth to bring that vision to life across North America — to supercharge creativity with intelligence and deliver what technology alone can’t replicate.”
Founded in 1985, SCS has earned repeated recognition on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list, building its reputation on strategic storytelling, influencer marketing, and cultural insight. Integrating SCS’s creative strengths with PUSH’s technology-driven framework doubles the agency’s workforce to more than 65 full-time experts and 30 contractors and offshore partners.
The expanded PUSH network will serve clients across the continent — including Miele, Vans®, Amy’s Kitchen, Falken Tires, Clover Leaf & Bumble Bee Seafoods, and Choice Hotels — through its proprietary PUSHTech™ platform, a suite of over 20 integrated tools for campaign intelligence, media optimization, and real-time performance tracking.
PUSH is also developing an AI Marketing Operating System, aimed at redefining how agencies plan, create, and measure effectiveness in an era dominated by automation and machine learning.
“PUSH is building something no other independent agency is doing right now,” said Julie Berger. “It’s rare to find a company that sees AI not as a replacement for people but as a way to unlock their full potential.”
The acquisition was announced on PUSH’s 13th anniversary, underscoring its evolution from a Canadian startup to one of North America’s most awarded independents. The company has been listed among Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies by The Globe and Mail for four consecutive years.
This expansion follows the appointment of Gino Cantalini as the company’s first Chief Brand Officer, further strengthening leadership as PUSH enters its next phase of growth. James Schiefer, founder of SCS, now serves as a Board Advisor to PUSH.
