MAM
Viacom launches digital escalator posters on the Tube
MUMBAI: In a first of its kind initiative, US outdoor agency Viacom Outdoor is launching digital escalator posters on the London Underground in the UK. The company sells ad space on behalf of the London Underground (the Tube).
The Digital Escalator Panels (D-EPs) are to be trialled on either side of the escalators at Tottenham Court Road Tube station. They will enable advertisers to create animated posters that move or feature changing text and images.
Viacom Outdoor claims that its electronic posters which have been developed by Esprit Digital, are the first in the world to bring dynamic digital images onto escalators. Because the sites will be linked together electronically, advertisers will also be able to use all the sites on the escalators in unison. Images will be able to ‘transfer’ from screen to screen travelling up or down the escalator.
Viacom Outdoor has been working in partnership with the London Underground management and technical partners for some time to create the sites. These will go live with a broader advertiser base in the coming months after an initial test period.
The 66 D-EPs at Tottenham Court Road will initially partner seven different clients including the London Underground. The screens will display advertisements lasting either five or ten seconds and Tottenham Court Road has been chosen as the test site as it is the busiest escalator on the London Underground network.
London Underground’s initial digital advert is likely to feature corporate messages for their customers. As well as further enhancing the Tube environment, the posters will also promise to revolutionise the way advertisers can use poster sites to reach consumers on the move during the day and at different times during the week.
For example, local retailers can promote their latest special offers, theatres, entertainment venues, pubs and bars can use the digital sites in the evening to reach travellers enjoying a night out in London, and broadcasters can highlight different programmes across their daily schedule.
During the initial launch period however, Viacom Outdoor will be selling air-time on the D-EP sites on a two-week basis, with posters on both sides of the escalator carrying the same ads in rotation.
Advertisers using the sites will work within guidelines drawn up by Viacom Outdoor and the London Underground, to ensure travellers’ safety is maintained while using escalators.
Viacom Outdoor account director – digital Jon Lewen said, “We are committed to exploring new and innovative ways to capture and captivate London Underground users. D-EPs will both enhance the consumer’s experience of advertising on the Tube and offer revolutionary new creative opportunities for our clients to connect with this audience in a more creative and tactical fashion.”
Viacom Outdoor sells all advertising space and sponsorship opportunities on the London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, buses, trams, national rail and Inter-urban coaches across the UK. Viacom Outdoor’s European portfolio includes media interests in Ireland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Finland and Spain.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
