What Colossal Media does

Colossal Media Inc is a Brooklyn-based hand-painted outdoor advertising and public art company, founded in 2004 and operating as a subsidiary of Lamar Advertising Company, a publicly traded outdoor advertising REIT listed on the NYSE under ticker LAMR. The company produces large-scale murals for global enterprise brands including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Royal Caribbean, Maybelline, Häagen-Dazs, Smirnoff, Brooklyn Brewery, and Target, executing more than 500 murals annually across major US Designated Market Areas through operational facilities in Brooklyn, New York (95 North 10th Street and 1109 Metropolitan Avenue) and Los Angeles, California (418 Molino Street). It has positioned itself as the self-described global leader in hand-painted outdoor advertising, functioning as both a creative agency and an outdoor media company with direct enterprise client relationships and agency channel partnerships.

The company's core product is hand-painted murals, built around a proprietary workflow in which digital artwork is converted into burned patterns, pounced onto walls, and then painted by trained craftspeople. Colossal also operates the world's first and only sign painting apprenticeship program, a fully paid training pipeline that has institutionalized craft expertise to deliver consistent output at predictable timelines. Complementary offerings include creative strategy and execution, community artist collaborations, content production, and the Start Today corporate social responsibility program (founded 2020) through which the firm delivers pro-bono murals for nonprofit organizations. A co-branded Outdoor Bulletin Enamel paint was developed with specialty paint maker Ronan Paints (relationship formalized around 2020) to ensure input materials meet the firm's quality specifications, and a flagship annual mural partnership has been maintained with High Line Art since 2011.

Colossal generates revenue primarily through professional services fees for mural campaigns (custom-priced based on wall size, location, and design complexity), supplemented by creative strategy work and real estate leasing arrangements with building owners who provide wall surfaces for installations. The customer base spans four horizontal segments: global enterprise brands (primary segment), nonprofits and social impact organizations served through Start Today, real estate owners who lease wall space, and cultural institutions such as High Line Art. The company does not publicly disclose pricing on its website and does not report standalone revenue as a private subsidiary of Lamar Advertising, though its operational footprint of 101-250 employees and 500+ annual mural production indicate an established multi-decade business with national reach.

Name

Colossal Media

Legal name

Colossal Media Inc

Website

https://colossalmedia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Colossal Media is a Brooklyn-based hand-painted outdoor advertising company and Lamar Advertising subsidiary that produces 500+ murals annually for global brands including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Royal Caribbean across major US markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Advertising

NAICS

Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (54185), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (541850)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Large-Format & Spectaculars (Building Wraps, 3D, Landmarks) (BPAFALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Out-of-Home (OOH), DOOH & Ambient Advertising (BPAFAAAI), Wayfinding, Signage & Environmental Graphic Design (BPAHAKAN)

Keywords

• Hand-painted murals
• Outdoor advertising
• Mural advertising
• Commercial signage
• Public art

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Hand-Painted Outdoor Advertising Murals: Core revenue stream from painting murals for the world's largest brands. Services span hand-painted walls in major US DMAs, creative strategy and execution, and content production.
2. Creative Strategy and Agency Services: Offering creative strategy, community artist collaborations, and content production alongside the core mural painting services.
3. Real Estate Leasing: The company leases building walls for mural installations, providing revenue from real estate partnerships.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Colossal Media is the world's largest hand-painted outdoor advertising company, producing over 500 photorealistic murals per year on building exteriors for major US DMAs. The company operates as both a creative and outdoor media agency, bundling mural execution with creative strategy, community artist collaborations, and content production for the world's largest brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Royal Caribbean, and Häagen-Dazs. Operations are anchored in Brooklyn and Los Angeles shops, with a sign painting apprenticeship program that ensures consistent, scalable craft output.

Product overview

Colossal Media is a Brooklyn-based hand-painted outdoor advertising and public art company offering a portfolio of services centered around its core hand-painted mural product. The company delivers over 500 murals annually for major brands, supported by creative strategy and execution services, community artist collaborations, and content production. The portfolio includes the Start Today CSR program for pro-bono community murals and the Painter Apprenticeship Program for training the next generation of sign painters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hand-Painted Murals Large-scale hand-painted outdoor advertising murals and public art installations produced on building exteriors and walls in major US DMAs for the world's largest brands.
• Creative Strategy and Execution Strategic creative services including concept development, design, and full-service execution of outdoor advertising campaigns for brand clients.
• Community Artist Collaborations Partnership programs connecting brands with community artists for mural creation and collaborative public art projects, often tied to social impact causes.
• Content Production Production services for campaign content, including mural design, execution, and documentation for brand marketing campaigns.
• Real Estate Wall Leasing Lease of building exterior wall space to Colossal Media for hand-painted mural advertising installations across major US DMAs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ murals painted annually for world's largest brands
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Ronan PaintscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Strategic partnership to develop co-branded Outdoor Bulletin Enamel paint. Ronan is a leader in specialty paints since 1889. Colossal has relied on Ronan's paints since 2004 and together they developed colors and a co-branded label for Ronan's best-selling line. The collaboration creates a product meeting strictest requirements for discriminating artists.
• High Line ArtflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with High Line Art (since 2011) to paint annual murals on a building at 22nd Street along the High Line. Colossal reproduces murals in High Line's museum-quality collection. This is described as the most visible installation along the park's 1.5-mile stretch.
• Make-A-WishflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-long pro bono partnership where Colossal and parent company Lamar Advertising collaborated to create a special mural designed by 12-year-old Josie Gibson, a Make-A-Wish alum. The mural debuted as a Make-A-Wish local landmark.
• Every ShelterflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Every Shelter (Houston-based nonprofit) to bring a hand-painted mural to Brooklyn with art by Dana Tanamachi. Every Shelter operates globally responding to humanitarian crises with shelter solutions for refugees.
• Gurls TalkflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMental health awareness partnership for World Mental Health Day. Colossal painted a mural in Williamsburg created collaboratively by girls in the Gurls Talk and Groundswell communities, symbolizing healing power of connection.
• GroundswellcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity mural organization partnering on mental health awareness projects and youth community programs through hand-painted murals.
• Black Artists + Designers GuildcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with BADG (founded to combat lack of representation of Black talent in design) for the 'Represent: Black Arts' initiative. Colossal stepped aside to donate space and spotlight to underrepresented creatives, painting original Black art works on walls in LA and NYC.
• Urban Indigenous CollectiveflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with UIC for Represent mural series highlighting MMIWGT2S NYC+ project. First mural where Colossal employees across all departments participated in production. UIC provides accessible pathways to healthcare for Indigenous population in tri-state area.
• Sprocket Mural WorksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partnership with Harrisburg-based Sprocket Mural Works for Mulberry Street Bridge project. 14 portraits painted across 1,610 square feet with Sprocket and Colossal collaboration.
• Newtown Creek AlliancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEnvironmental partnership for Newtown Creek restoration and shoreline improvements. Colossal hosted NCA's 20 Year Anniversary Tidal Toast at their Metropolitan Avenue home. NCA works to revitalize the polluted waterway that runs past the Colossal shop.
• Mana Public ArtsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Jersey City Mural Festival, organized by Jersey City Mural Arts Program. Colossal donated painting hours and resources to paint 'Stand With Us' mural by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya near Holland Tunnel, spanning 4,000+ square feet.
• Brooklyn BreweryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCelebration collaboration for Colossal's 21st anniversary. Brooklyn Brewery created 'Crisp Strokes' limited-edition Pilsner and commissioned a commemorative mural at North 10th and Wythe Avenue in Williamsburg.
• Lamar AdvertisingcoreOthersParent company of Colossal Media. CEO Sean Reilly mentioned in Make-A-Wish partnership. Colossal is a subsidiary operating as creative and outdoor media agency within Lamar's portfolio.
• TargetflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Lisa Whittington mural 'A Harlem Story' in Bushwick, featured as part of Colossal's community art initiatives.
• Sovereign Bodies InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization referenced in Urban Indigenous Collective context - Executive Director Annita Lucchesi developed the MMIWGT2S database proposal.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Graffiti Life: Graffiti Life is a UK-based hand-painted mural and graffiti advertising agency serving brands across Europe. It mirrors Colossal's value proposition—hand-painted, campaign-grade murals for global brands—but operates primarily in European markets rather than competing directly in the US.

Broad incumbents

• JCDecaux: JCDecaux SA is the world's largest OOH advertising company, specializing in street furniture, transit, and billboard advertising globally. It is comparable to Colossal as a competitor for premium global brand OOH budgets, though JCDecaux operates at much larger scale and with conventional formats rather than hand-painted murals.
• Lamar Advertising Company: Lamar Advertising (NYSE: LAMR) is one of the largest outdoor advertising companies in North America and the publicly traded parent of Colossal Media. It competes broadly with Colossal in OOH but at vastly larger scale and through static/digital billboards; the hand-painted craft niche within Lamar is operated specifically by Colossal.
• Ströer SE: Ströer is one of Europe's largest outdoor advertising companies, operating digital and static OOH across Germany and other European markets. It is comparable to Colossal as a broad OOH incumbent competing for enterprise brand attention budgets, with a portfolio skewed toward digital billboards rather than hand-painted craft.

Direct peers

• Clear Channel Outdoor: Clear Channel Outdoor (NYSE: CCO) is a major US and Latin American OOH operator with a national billboard and digital spectacular portfolio. It competes with Colossal for the same enterprise brand OOH budgets in major US DMAs, but at much greater scale and with predominantly printed/digital formats rather than hand-painted craft.
• Outfront Media: Outfront Media (NYSE: OUT) is one of the largest out-of-home advertising companies in the US, operating billboards, transit, and place-based media across all major DMAs. It is the most direct competitor to Colossal's outdoor advertising business, though Outfront's portfolio is dominated by static and digital billboards rather than hand-painted craft work.
• Tats Cru: Tats Cru is a renowned NYC-based mural collective specializing in large-scale hand-painted advertising murals and commissioned public art. It is one of the most direct craft peers to Colossal, particularly for commissioned brand and editorial mural work in the New York market, though Tats Cru operates more as an artist collective than an agency.
• Wallworks NYC: Wallworks NYC is a Brooklyn-based hand-painted mural and custom signage studio serving commercial brands and venues. It is one of the closest direct competitors to Colossal in the hand-painted mural advertising niche, with comparable craft-based offerings and a similar Brooklyn aesthetic, though at smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/colossalmedia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Colossal Media