Carat's Verklin, NBC CMO Join In-Store Media Board

PRN Network has signed two heavy hitters from two different sides of the media world to seats on its board of directors.

The first, David Verklin, chief executive of Aegis's Group's Carat Americas, has joined the board of directors of PRN, the company that produces in-store television networks throughout the country.

By placing Verklin on its board, PRN hopes to raise its profile and clout among other media buyers, a PRN spokesman said.

The PRN Network installs TV sets playing its news and entertainment offerings in more than 5,000 retail outlets from the likes of Best Buy, Circuit City, Costco, Pathmark, Ralphs, SAM'S CLUB, Sears, ShopRite, and Wal-Mart stores. Aside from the arrangement with the retailers, PRN Network is also supported by national and local advertisers in all of the 210 media markets designated by AC Nielsen. PRN works with retailers and advertisers to create in-store television programming that includes entertainment, news, product information, advertising, and community content. According to PRN estimates, the PRN Network has over 180 million gross impressions each month.

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Still, the network craves media community respect, and that's where Verklin comes in.

"As the head of Carat Americas, the largest independent media communications agency network worldwide, David has worked with many of the world's largest advertisers," said a statement from Charlie Nooney, chief executive officer of PRN. "He is one of the most well-respected media minds in the industry... David's depth of advertising expertise and reputation as a trendsetter in this industry will contribute to increased awareness for PRN among the media buying community."

As for Verklin, he gets closer to PRN's national advertisers.

In a statement, he said: "As a guest speaker at the Wal-Mart TV Upfront event that PRN hosted in September, I found today's leading advertisers were very receptive to this in-store TV leader and its ability to reach consumers throughout the U.S... I am confident that a broad range of new and existing national and local advertisers will continue to find in-store TV as an integral and increasingly important part of their broadcast advertising and in-store media campaigns in the future."

The second addition to PRN's board is John Miller, Chief Marketing Officer of NBC Universal Television Group.

The value of having Miller--the longtime head of advertising and promotion for NBC and co-president of The NBC Agency who was named chief marketing officer for NBC Universal TV in May--is the promise of marketing collaboration with the Peacock Network. Last year, PRN and NBC initiated a series of infomercials touting HDTV educational programming for consumers.

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