8 Stories Tall, 1 Football Field Wide

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advertising, nyc

This is only a test.

Tuesday night Clear Channel will light up its newest digital billboard in Times Square – 8 stories tall, running the entire length of the block between 45th and 46th streets.

“Nearly 24 million LED pixels, each containing tiny red, blue and green lights, make up the display, giving it higher resolution than even the best of today’s top-of-the-line television sets.”

Times Square’s Biggest and Most Expensive Digital Billboard Is Set to Shine

Google has an exclusive contract as the billboard’s first advertiser through the end of the year.

Nike’s Overweight Jogger is Making Progress

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advertising

Remember Nike’s Greatness ad from about a year ago? The one with the overweight kid jogging that got so many people upset? (The one I wrote about here in support of?)

Well, Nathan has lost 32 pounds so far and is still going.

I ain’t saying “I told you so,” but I kind of am. That was a brilliant ad – it was inspiring to viewers, it was good for Nike’s bottom line, and it was ultimately good for Nathan Sorrell. Win-win-win.

Nike’s New Greatness Ad

NOTE: This article was originally posted 8/13/2012.

If you haven’t seen it, the ad – which ran during the London Olympics – features 200 lb 12-year-old Nathan Sorrell running down a lonely street, while Tom Hardy narrates about the greatness in all of us.

I think this is advertising at its finest. I would be proud to work for Nike or Wieden + Kennedy (the ad agency responsible) right now.

Some people believe the ad is exploitative. I couldn’t disagree more. With one sixty second spot, Nike has guaranteed that this one boy will be strongly motivated to get healthier, and inspired many like him to do the same. And if Nike gets a little press in the process, that just sounds like a win-win to me.