Plans to visit London in the coming weeks, for business or maybe Christmas shopping? If so, you should see the brand-new Barco LED screens inside the busy Canary Wharf Tube station. Unveiled last week by Transport for London (TfL) and Exterion Media, the two big (7.2m x 4m), double-sided screens are running dynamic, engaging advertisements. The high-impact installation is part of a wider strategy to change the face of digital advertising in TfL’s Rail estate, including the London Underground.

Engaging 54.4 million passers-by
With 54.4 million customers passing through annually (ca. one million per week), London’s Canary Wharf Tube station is one of the Capital’s busiest stations. It’s only logical that TfL and Exterion Media chose this popular station to kick off the ‘Hello London’ strategy, aimed at generating vital new revenue for the modernization of London’s transport system. The business partners teamed up with the original Canary Wharf station architects Foster and Partners to design the new advertising screens, which are now suspending from the ceiling in the main ticket hall.

Dynamic, real-time advertising
Exterion Media and TfL chose our C8 outdoor LED displays to run full motion video, animation and live content, allowing for a smooth integration into TV and digital campaigns. As all screens have dynamic capabilities, they allow for tailored content playout based on real-time information such as weather conditions and current events.

Modern, affordable transport network
Graeme Craig, Director of Commercial Development at TfL, said: “Our ‘Hello London’ strategy will change the face of advertising in the Underground and Overground stations, giving advertisers new and dynamic ways of interacting with our customers. The screens in Canary Wharf will enable advertisers to reach more than 54 million people every year and are the first of a number of new digital assets to be introduced. Making the best use of our advertising estate is part of a wider commercial approach to generate GBP3.4bn [EUR3.7bn] of non-fare revenue by 2023/24, ensuring we can help the Mayor deliver a modern and affordable transport network.”

The screens went live with artwork by Mark Titchner. Since 31 October, they have been featuring commercial advertising. The TfL - Exterion tandem has plans to upgrade all digital displays across the London transport network in the coming years.

Remarkable realization
Not only is this install unique because it features the first LED wall in the London Underground, it also makes Barco the first LED manufacturer to provide a solution in compliance with the London Underground’s very stringent “Section 12, Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations) Regulations”.

Paul Matthijs, Senior VP Retail and Advertising for Barco, comments: “Barco, as an innovative solution technology company, is very happy to collaborate with Exterion and to help enable the “Hello London” strategy, bringing best-in-class digital advertising campaigns to the London Underground audience. We are proud that our efforts invested in achieving “Section 12”-compliant LED technology, paid off and marked the start of the use of high resolution LED screens within the London Underground. These screens are essential in realizing dynamic, engaging and interactive advertisement campaigns.”