Ocean unveils new Piccadilly Lights banner

Coca-Cola, Samsung and L’Oréal are the global launch partners for a new illuminated banner covering the world famous Piccadilly Lights.

The iconic advertising location, which is managed by Ocean Outdoor on behalf of Land Securities, is undergoing a 10 month digital transformation.

Samsung and Coca-Cola are already long term advertisers on the Piccadilly Circus site and both have confirmed their presence when the new Lights are switched on later this year.

They are joined on the colossal banner by L’Oreal which has taken space directly above one of the busiest branches of Boots. L’Oreal’s campaign was planned through Maxus and Kinetic.

The British Olympic Association with Team GB also marks the count down to the team’s participation in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Korea one year from now.

Work commenced on an upgrade of Piccadilly Lights in January when the screens were temporarily switched off for the first time since the Blitz.

The current patchwork of screens is being replaced with a single state-of-the-art LED digital screen and supporting live technology hub.

The 4K 790 square metre screen, which will be the largest of its kind in Europe, will combine total screen takeovers by brands and divide into six full and subtle motion segments, preserving the Lights’ famous mosaic appearance.

"At a time when there are more advertising opportunities for brands than ever before, there are only a handful of advertising spaces in the world that are as iconic and unique as the Piccadilly Lights," Aedamar Howlett, marketing director of Coca-Cola Great Britain and Ireland, said.

"The new technology will allow us to be more creative with how we use the space, providing new opportunities to tailor our messages in real time and engage consumers directly with our content."

"Ocean won this tender because we fully understand the need to protect the status of the Lights, but also the need to transform them to maintain that iconic status," commented Ocean Outdoor CEO Tim Bleakly.

"The solution we have developed retains the innovative nature of the Lights. Ocean also becomes the first OOH operator to introduce a one-screen solution which ticks all the boxes in terms of fully responsive technology."

The new Piccadilly Lights are scheduled to relaunch in autumn 2017.

Dare to create different at European Sign Expo 2017

Co-located with FESPA 2017 and Printeriors, the fifth iteration of European Sign Expo, from 8-12 May at Hamburg Messe, will be 30% bigger than the 2016 event due to unprecedented growth in visitor traffic experienced at the last show.

Leading names from the European sign industry will show the latest developments in equipment, software, signage materials and systems, fittings and fixtures, channel lettering, illuminated signage, dimensional signage, engraving and etching at the event.

Signmakers and signage buyers will also be able to discover the future of the industry through the show's ‘Ask the Experts’ feature, a networking event where visitors and exhibitors can attend daily panel discussions and debate a range of topics focused around digital signage.

To learn more about how a visit to European Sign Expo could benefit your business in 2017, visit:  www.europeansignexpo.com. Visitors can get free entry to the exhibition by registering to attend via the website, and quoting reference code: ESEH701