Heritage Outdoor Media recently worked with Daktronics (NASDAQ-DAKT) of Brookings, South Dakota, to design and install an LED digital billboard with 8-millimeter resolution SMD (surface mounted device) technology. Located in the heart of Times Square, the state-of-the-art, high-definition display provides unique branding opportunities for businesses to capture the attention of millions of viewers year-round.
The display is featured on the Bow Tie Building Times Square at 1530 Broadway. Heritage Outdoor worked closely with the “I Love NY” retail tenant Torkian Group.
“Working with Heritage has provided us with a win-win situation that was uncomplicated to execute,” says a Torkian Group representative. “The display will provide us passive income, reducing our overall retail cost while attracting more eyes to our store.”
This digital display, aptly named the “New York, New York” sign, provides the newest digital experiences such as augmented reality, interactive virtual reality, interactive audio content through mobile devices, and social media interactivity. It is one of only a few boards in Times Square with this technology.
“We are very excited to offer advertisers and viewers some of the most innovative and interactive features in the industry, especially as this sign is strategically at eye-level,” says Terry Carmody, co-founder of Heritage Outdoor Media. “The Daktronics 8-millimeter digital billboard technology gives our advertising clients a reliable, color-accurate canvas that represents their brands in an exciting, dynamic way.”
The location of the display provides an advantage for advertisers who want to reach a high volume of pedestrian and vehicle traffic on Broadway. According to Carmody, foot traffic has risen steadily throughout the year, with an average of 260 thousand daily visitors in March of 2022. 1530 Broadway is also at center stage of the New Year’s Eve celebrations within Times Square.
Carmody says Heritage is excited to provide advertising opportunities for large and small brands: “With Heritage’s ‘New York, New York’ sign, advertisers have the opportunity to say (in the words of Frank Sinatra) that ‘they’ve made it there.’ The board runs in two-minute loops, providing excellent exposure to many people. It offers businesses the opportunity to own a piece of Times Square and to plant their brand flag in one of the great gathering places of the world.”
Installation Design Provided Fewer Interruptions
To minimize disruption to the building tenant and to street traffic, Heritage Outdoor Media worked closely with Daktronics to reduce installation time.
Together they redesigned the back of the billboard’s cabinet, and the digital sign went up in just two sections. This solution allowed for easy access to the interconnects and ensured that the sign stayed within Torkian Group’s designated premises, as listed in their lease contract.
The digital sign also features city view louvers to provide more contrast for maximum viewability for the intended audience.
These technologies were key to Heritage Outdoor Media, a third-generation, family-owned outdoor advertising company that prides itself on treating partners and vendors with the utmost transparency and respect.
“We worked hard to minimize construction time to avoid disruption to our retail partner and the public,” explains James Manfredi, co-founder of Heritage. “We were able to go from contract to revenue stream for Torkian Group in less than six months and installed the sign in less than seven working days. We are one of the most efficient and consistently meticulous builders in the industry thanks to our three generations of experience and wisdom.”
Daktronics has been a staple LED display provider in Times Square dating back to the installation of the Morgan Stanley LED ticker in 1995. The company has more than eighty customers in the area and more than thirty projects in Times Square.
—Press Release
