Video Walls in Piccadilly Circus
Advertisement is an important part in the growth of any business, large or small. The marketing maxim is, “The more you spend, the more you earn.” Of course, that money must be spent wisely, too. So, businesses are always searching for the newest and most effective ways to reach their customers. There are multiple advertising techniques available to businesses today and the question that must be answered is, “which medium is most effective?”
In the rapidly changing postmodern era, people spend more time away from home than ever before. As a result, marketers must think 
deeply to find ways to maximize the attention of their target audience and potential customers. One technique that has been successful is the use of billboards, but not just any type of billboard. These innovative signs are “moving walls” made of LED screens which stand out in the minds of consumers. One key to successfully using video walls is choosing a site where the maximum number of people can see it; Piccadilly Circus is one of the best places in the world for that to happen.
Piccadilly Circus, located in the West End of London, is the gateway to London’s premier landmarks and a hub of multiple businesses and entertainment venues. It is surrounded by shopping malls, criterion Theatre, London Pavilion, and the Shaftesbury Memorial, with its unforgettable statue, Anteros. Needless to say, Piccadilly Circus is a major tourist attraction and its being featured in videos, movies and postcards shows that it has reached iconic status.
With such large crowds passing through Piccadilly Circus each day, it is natural that the attention of marketers was drawn there. The 
first electronic advertisement appeared there in 1910. The size and scope of billboards at Piccadilly has changed over time. For instance, in the late 1960’s nearly all the buildings were covered with neon signs and advertisements. In the 1990’s, Coke placed a digital billboard there with images projected by six LCD video projectors. The result was moving images that were able to change with the weather. Later, the advertisement area was reduced to a single building at the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue and Glasshouse Street. Piccadilly Lite was added in 2007, with the purpose of increasing the advertising space by using the same screen for multiple brands whose ads rotate being shown. Piccadilly Lite is available for both long and short term lease. In 2012, the Piccadilly Circus has six illuminated screens.
Some of the most successful businesses in the world have advertised on these screens including, Coca-Cola, Samsung, Sanyo, Kodak, McDonald’s and many more. Companies all over the globe understand the importance of this hub in gaining access to a maximum number of people. Though the cost for advertisement on the screens of Piccadilly Circus is high, so are the returns.
