PRN
PRN is a privately held in-store digital retail media company that designs, deploys, monetizes, and measures digital screen networks for large enterprise retailers — including Walmart, Costco, and major healthcare retailers — across more than 30 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What PRN does
PRN is a privately held in-store digital retail media company founded in 1992 and headquartered in San Jose, California. The company designs, deploys, monetizes, and measures digital in-store retail media networks for large enterprise retailers, and claims to have pioneered the category in 1998 by building the first closed-loop in-store digital network at Walmart. PRN's customer base is anchored by a small set of top-tier retailers — most prominently the world's largest physical retailer (550,000+ screens), a top warehouse club (Costco, 750+ locations across US/Canada/Mexico), a top big-box retailer (1,800+ stores), and a leading national healthcare retailer (600+ stores) — while brand-side demand comes from the consumer packaged goods advertisers and agencies buying placements on those networks. The company operates across 30+ countries spanning North America and EMEA.
PRN firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PRN
- Legal name
- PRN LLC
- Website
- https://prn.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- PRN is a privately held in-store digital retail media company that designs, deploys, monetizes, and measures digital screen networks for large enterprise retailers — including Walmart, Costco, and major healthcare retailers — across more than 30 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PRN industry classification
Industry- Product category
- In-Store Retail Media
- NAICS
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Advertising Agencies (541810)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Retail Media & Marketplace Advertising (Amazon/Walmart/Instacart, etc.) (BPAFACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Point-of-Sale (POS) & In-Store Promotion Services (BPAFAMAF)
Keywords
Where PRN is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
PRN business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- In-Store Digital Advertising Revenue: PRN generates advertising revenue by deploying and monetizing digital screen networks inside retail stores. Over the past decade, PRN has delivered more than $5 billion in advertising revenue for retail partners. Revenue comes from brands purchasing advertising placements across retailer networks including direct sales, indirect sales, programmatic, private exchange, public exchange, and AI campaign optimization.
- Content & Creative Services: PRN offers custom content development, dynamic templates and localized messaging, licensed content sourcing, automated content, and content strategy and campaign planning services to brands and retailers.
- Pilot Program Services: Low-risk pilot programs to help retailers test performance and unlock early value before full network deployment.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
PRN product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PRN designs, deploys, monetizes, measures and grows digital in-store retail media networks for large enterprise retailers by installing and operating digital screens and kiosk networks in physical stores, then selling the resulting advertising inventory to consumer brands, agencies, and healthcare advertisers via its proprietary Shopper Direct platform, an in-house sales team, programmatic exchange integrations, and supporting content & creative and pilot program services.
Product overview
PRN operates as a unified in-store retail media platform with multiple integrated services. The core technology is the Shopper Direct platform, which powers campaign management, ad serving, and measurement across diverse retail media networks including Costco TV Network (750+ locations), Quest Media Network, and Walmart Pharmacy Healthcenters. Supporting services include In-Store Retail Media Sales (monetization and sales team), Content & Creative Services (creative production with AI capabilities), and Pilot Programs for new partnerships. The company also deploys Smart Network 1.0 & 2.0 technology across 550,000+ screens globally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Shopper Direct Platform Next-generation retail media platform providing self-service campaign creation and scheduling, screen-specific content control, CRM and product feed integration, real-time dynamic CPM based on foot traffic, programmatic exchange connectivity, private/public marketplace access, and precise audience measurement using privacy-first sensors. Used by retailers, brands, and agencies to plan and execute in-store advertising campaigns.
- In-Store Retail Media Sales Service Sales and monetization service that designs, deploys, monetizes, measures and grows digital in-store retail media networks for retail partners. Includes a dedicated in-house sales team that co-sells with retail partners to unlock incremental revenue from endemic and non-endemic brands, agencies, and ad tech partners across direct, indirect, programmatic, private exchange, public exchange, and AI campaign optimization channels.
- Content & Creative Services Creative services including custom content development, dynamic templates and localized messaging, licensed content sourcing, automated content synced with real-time store data signals, content strategy and campaign planning, and AI-powered generative content creation. Offered to brands and retailers running campaigns on PRN's in-store retail media networks.
- Pilot Programs Low-risk pilot programs that allow new retailer partners to test performance and unlock early value before committing to full in-store retail media network deployment.
- Costco TV Network 4K TV network deployed across 750+ Costco locations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, featuring original programming and branded content campaigns for advertisers reaching warehouse club shoppers.
- Quest Media Network Digital in-store media network for healthcare and online pharmacy environments, enabling brand campaigns and patient engagement at retail pharmacy locations.
- Walmart Pharmacy Point-of-Care Healthcenters Point-of-care health center kiosks in Walmart Pharmacy departments featuring health and blood pressure monitoring with integrated video advertising capabilities, used for healthcare and pharmaceutical brand awareness campaigns such as unbranded COVID-19 oral prescription treatment campaigns.
- Smart Network 1.0 and 2.0 Digital screen networks deployed across 550,000+ screens at the world's largest physical retailer, featuring progressive generations of in-store digital network technology that enable programmatic and direct ad delivery.
Quantifiable outcome
- 44% sales lift for Vitamin Water campaign
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use PRN
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
PRN technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability6 records
Feature4 records
PRN partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- CaptivateminorPRN is featured alongside Captivate, Vistar Media, and Pattison as a primary subject in analysis of Canada's Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising market, showcasing case studies that demonstrate measurable campaign results across retail sectors.
- PattisonminorPRN is featured alongside Pattison as a major DOOH network operator in Canadian market analysis, demonstrating case studies that showcase measurable campaign results across multiple industry sectors.
- McKinsey & CompanyminorCraig Macdonald, Partner, Media and Advertising at McKinsey & Company, is quoted providing industry perspective on the challenges retailers face in building competent sales teams to compete with major digital advertising platforms.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PRN competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Broadsign: Broadsign provides a programmatic DOOH ad-serving and content management platform used by retail media networks and out-of-home operators globally. PRN's Shopper Direct competes directly with Broadsign's automation, measurement, and marketplace tooling for in-store digital networks.
- Captivate: Captivate operates digital screen networks in elevators, offices, and select retail environments, offering content and ad sales services via a national network. It is referenced alongside PRN as a comparable DOOH network operator with measurable retail and consumer campaign results.
- Vistar Media: Vistar Media operates one of the largest programmatic DOOH ad exchanges, enabling buyers to purchase in-store and out-of-store digital advertising inventory through a single demand-side platform. PRN and Vistar are cited together in 2026 Canadian DOOH market analysis as primary in-store digital networks with comparable measurable-campaign narratives.
- Place Exchange: Place Exchange is a programmatic SSP for DOOH inventory including in-store retail media networks. It overlaps with PRN's programmatic and private/public marketplace distribution channels, addressing the same brand-buyer audience through automated buying.
- Pattison Outdoor / Pattison OneStop: Pattison operates one of North America's largest DOOH advertising networks across transit, retail, and indoor environments. PRN and Pattison are co-listed in 2026 Canadian DOOH analysis as peers delivering cross-sector measurable retail campaigns.
Emerging players
- Quotient Technology (now Neptune Retail Solutions): Neptune Retail Solutions (formerly Quotient) provides digital and in-store media, coupons, and measurement for CPG brands and retailers. It overlaps with PRN's in-store ad-serving, content, and measurement offering, focused on the same CPG advertisers.
- Albertsons Media Collective: Albertsons Media Collective is the retailer-owned media network for Albertsons grocery and pharmacy banners. It represents an emerging in-store retail media entrant that competes for incremental advertiser budgets PRN also targets via its grocery and healthcare retailer networks.
Broad incumbents
- Roundel (Target Retail Media Network): Roundel is Target's owned retail media network operating across Target stores and properties. It demonstrates the retailer-insourced model PRN competes against when pitching new retailer partnerships in the U.S. mass-retail channel.
- Walmart Connect (Walmart's Retail Media Network): Walmart Connect is the retailer-owned media platform that monetizes Walmart properties. It is both a major PRN customer (550,000+ screens Smart Network) and a structural competitive threat — Walmart has the strategic option to insource further in-store media capabilities PRN historically provides.
- Instacart Ads / Carrot Ads: Instacart Ads monetizes retailer e-commerce and increasingly in-store/CPG media. It is a broad incumbent in retail media with the balance sheet, brand relationships, and data scale to expand into DOOH categories where PRN currently operates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PRN social profiles
Digital presencePRN compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
PRN financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PRN leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
PRN funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PRN M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PRN
What does PRN do?
PRN designs, deploys, monetizes, measures and grows digital in-store retail media networks for large enterprise retailers by installing and operating digital screens and kiosk networks in physical stores, then selling the resulting advertising inventory to consumer brands, agencies, and healthcare advertisers via its proprietary Shopper Direct platform, an in-house sales team, programmatic exchange integrations, and supporting content & creative and pilot program services.
Is PRN a public or private company?
PRN is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was PRN founded?
PRN was founded in 1992. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is PRN based?
PRN is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does PRN make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. In-Store Digital Advertising Revenue is the primary driver. The others are content & Creative Services and pilot Program Services.
Who are PRN's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Broadsign, Captivate, Vistar Media, Place Exchange and Pattison Outdoor / Pattison OneStop. Emerging players are Quotient Technology (now Neptune Retail Solutions) and Albertsons Media Collective. Broad incumbents are Roundel (Target Retail Media Network), Walmart Connect (Walmart's Retail Media Network) and Instacart Ads / Carrot Ads.
Does PRN have an API?
No public API is recorded for PRN.
What industry is PRN in?
PRN's product category is In-Store Retail Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFACAD, Retail Media & Marketplace Advertising (Amazon/Walmart/Instacart, etc.), with a secondary code of BPAFAMAF, Point-of-Sale (POS) & In-Store Promotion Services. Its NAICS code is 5418 and its SIC code is 7311.