New LED-signage helps keep Glasgow shoppers informed

Visitors to Glasgow City Centre can now instantly keep up-to-date with all the latest news, thanks to a new LED ticker-tape solution that has recently been installed some 30ft up on the outside of the Clydesdale Bank building in Buchanan Street, by LEDsynergy.

Constantly updated international news through to local information is displayed in full colour, in 384mm high letters that move continuously from right to left along the 50 metre long LED display. Full colour images and logos could also be included. The news content is drawn from a variety of news sources including RSS feeds, information from Excel spreadsheets and free programming – providing both the versatility and autonomy required so that the information constantly changes with minimal operator intervention.

Part of a multi-million pound building renovation programme, the LED ticker-tape solution cost just £60,000 to build and install and has been exceptionally well received by Clydesdale Bank management.  Built to order by LEDsynergy, the solution comprises a mixture of two different sized cases to ensure a smooth radius around the curved façade of the building. Each module is individually fixed to the building by simple brackets and then daisy-chained together. This means that should one section ever fail, it can simply be replaced and the ticker solution remains operational.

“Companies must compete for the attention of potential customers on the high street and elsewhere and this is driving the advertising sector to change at a fierce rate in its bid to deliver dynamic messaging,” stated Jeremy Harwood of LEDsynergy. “We were delighted to offer our services to Clydesdale Bank and after determining exactly what they wanted, provide them with a fully colour LED display that will allow them to speak directly to the potential customers on the street.”

LEDsynergy took less than three months to develop the solution; including putting together all the components and fabricating both the 2304mm and the 1280mm long weather tight aluminium cases. It also developed the control software used to drive the system and integrated the Bluetooth interface used to upload the data from the control computer.

All elements were then delivered to site and put together at ground level to ensure everything was working properly. Two additional ‘dummy’ modules had also previously been supplied, free-of-charge along with the detailed assembly plans to SSE Contracting, the company with overall control of the refurbishment contract, enabling them to accurately pre-drill the fixing points and so ensure a speedy and trouble free installation. 

The installation has created a real buzz in the area and received positive reactions from the public, generating a number of comments on local social media sites. “Bright, moving image on the high street will instantly capture the attention of passing shoppers,” stated one local while another added, “These large displays enable retailers to be far more creative in their approach as they are more than just a bright, hoarding and bring a whole new dimension to the retail experience.”  City planners have also reacted positively and a number of other councils have already visited the site with a view to implementing similar solutions within their own environments.

The use of large, full colour LED screens to promote an array of products on our high streets is on the rise, replacing traditional printed posters and other forms of advertising. Technology has also moved on a-pace making this type of solution an affordable reality for many more customers.

“The latest developments in LED technology are now being harnessed to help attract customers,” concluded Jeremy Harwood. “Retailers understand the need for quality, reliability and the affect effective solutions can have on any brand which is why it’s about delivering the complete solution and not just taking a piece of kit straight out of a box and hoping it will have the desired impact.”

Several other retailers are already going to the next level and creating material specifically designed for LED displays. The Trocadero in London recently updated the moving display above the door to improve the vibrancy and appeal of its marketing messages.  Although the display is only 32 pixels high, increasable content can be achieved, and this is creating impact within the centre.

And LED display solutions are not restricted to the high street. Sports stadia are increasingly adopting full colour display systems although the humble LED-illuminated numeric scoreboard still proves popular and many new installations are completed each month. Other applications include road signage ranging from overhead gantry signage systems for the toll booths across the River Severn and the M6 Toll through to an implementation of 76 traffic advice signs in the Old Trafford area of Manchester that can be individually updated with parking restriction information.