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Times Square Brightens Up With 17-Story Walgreen Sign
By
John Del Signore
Published Nov 20, 2008
Modified Nov 20, 2008
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By
John Del Signore
Published Nov 20, 2008
Modified Nov 20, 2008
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Drab and dreary old Times Square is finally going to get some razzle dazzle starting tonight when a massive 17,000-square-foot, three-sided diagonal LED sign is turned on at 1 Times Square, right where the New Year's ball drops. Designed by D3 LED to promote the Walgreen's flagship location—not to mention other publicity-deprived corporations like Kraft, Johnson & Johnson, and Colgate—the "spectacular" display runs off almost 30 computers and uses 12 million energy efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Within the sign are 13 big plasma screens displaying "coordinated, dynamic content." You are powerless to resist!
There are also smaller plasma screens inside the store that will be coordinated with the outside displays for a grand total of 29 synergistic surfaces, adding up to an anticipated 1.6 million impressions a day. And according to the Times, you may want to wear sunglasses when gazing upon its glory, because the sign will produce 8,000 "nits" of brightness. That's quite a bit of nits; a typical LCD display creates about 200. The average power used is 250KW, and could soar up to one megawatt depending on the imagery being created.
"We created a display that virtually reaches out and grabs the attention of consumers—from those 15 feet away to those halfway across the world," said Jason Barak of D3 LED, in a statement that tactfully edited out his maniacal laughter.
Tagged
biggest
d3
display
huge
LED
light
new
new york
nyc
plasma
screens
sign
spectacular
Times Square
walgreens
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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