Coke’s Ballyhooed Shape-Shifting LED Board In Time Square Is Now Very Much 2D

August 28, 2018 by Dave Haynes

We will probably never get a public story about the three-dimensional, robotic direct view LED display that Coke spent an unknown PILE of money on for Times Square.

If you were a contractor and influenced the decision to do that, you’re keeping quiet and saving face.

If it is your tech, you are definitely not saying anything.

If you ever want to sell display tech to Coke and maybe fix what was done, you’re staying quiet.

And if you are Coke, you’re probably not going to get into it.

So … all we know is that the crazily shape-shifting, undulating, 100s of moving parts thing that Coke lit up in Times Square is now one static, never-moving LED board. As was well-documented here, just about anyone with an ops background looked at that thing when it launched, and thought, “That will end badly.”

It did.

 

From an industry friend who knows Times Square, LEDs and outdoor advertising:

I was in Times Square end of last week. Here is what I saw:

Still a disappointing presentation. The 3D embellishment has done nothing to enhance the look. I guess either Coke have resigned themselves to mediocrity or the lawyers are busy chasing the guys in Shenzhen – maybe both.

What it looked like when launched …

The crazy thing is that MOST of what was done mechanically can be done compellingly in the creative. I have a podcast up tonight with the guy who does that, arguably, better than anyone …

  1. Neil Bron Chatwood says:

    I can’t think of a better “tech-first” installation example in recent memory. Didn’t even make it a year. Such a waste.

  2. Didn’t think of coca cola with such bad tech usage. How come they have still not fixed it?

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