Wandsworth digital billboard gets luxury-ready revamp

BackLite UK and outdoor advertising infrastructure owner Wildstone have completed a refurbishment of the Wandsworth Roundabout digital billboard site in south-west London. The work is part of a wider programme to upgrade several high-profile Transport for London locations.

The Wandsworth structure is one of 13 prime out-of-home sites Wildstone acquired from Transport for London. Under an agreement signed last year, Multiply Media Group secured exclusive operating rights to 11 of those sites through its BackLite brand.

The refurbishment is being positioned as a step towards attracting luxury and premium advertisers to the London inventory. Wandsworth is the first upgraded site to be completed, with work under way at other locations.

UK footprint

Multiply Media Group is based in the United Arab Emirates. It established BackLite UK as its British subsidiary after acquiring London Lites. The deal added 65 digital signs across central London to BackLite UK's network, along with media sales contracts linked to Wildstone-owned properties.

BackLite UK says its network spans more than 85 locations across the UK. It focuses on large-format digital out-of-home screens in prominent retail, cultural and transport settings, with a concentration in London.

Wildstone owns and manages outdoor advertising infrastructure and partners with operators that sell advertising on those assets. Its portfolio includes more than 5,400 out-of-home advertising sites across the UK, Europe and Australia.

Wandsworth works

The Wandsworth Roundabout site is a multi-screen digital structure on a major route through an affluent part of south-west London. The refurbishment included a full refresh of the supporting structure and replacement of the site's four digital screens.

Daktronics UK supplied the new displays. The installation is the first UK deployment of Daktronics' Premium Outdoor 10mm LED product line, according to the companies.

The upgraded screens also include Daktronics' System Health monitoring feature, which the supplier describes as a diagnostics and monitoring tool that provides early warnings of potential issues.

BackLite has worked with Daktronics in other markets across its wider estate. The same display technology is set to roll out across other Wildstone sites covered by the BackLite UK operating agreement.

Market context

The refurbishment comes as luxury brands allocate more budget to digital out-of-home advertising, according to the companies. The UK luxury goods market is expanding at a compound annual growth rate of more than 4%, based on figures cited from Mordor Intelligence.

Mordor Intelligence estimates the UK market will reach USD $27.43 billion this year, rising to USD $33.71 billion over the next five years.

Several watch and jewellery brands have already appeared on the refurbished Wandsworth screens, including Franck Muller, David Morris and Tissot, according to the companies.

For operators, premium roadside locations have become a focal point for investment as advertisers seek high-visibility sites with consistent presentation. In central and inner London, digital out-of-home networks also reflect a broader shift towards digital formats, which allow multiple campaigns to rotate through the same inventory.

Partner roles

Wildstone owns the infrastructure. Multiply Media Group, through BackLite UK, runs media operations and sells advertising on the screens covered by the agreement.

For Daktronics, the project places its latest outdoor product range at a prominent London site. The supplier is a long-standing manufacturer of large-format LED display systems, with installations across sports venues, transport hubs and roadside advertising estates.

James Bicknell, Group CEO at Multiply Media Group, said: "This upgrade reflects the strength of our partnership with Wildstone and our commitment to building the UK's leading premium digital out-of-home platform. Wandsworth now operates at a true global standard, giving agencies and luxury brands an environment that matches their ambitions."

Andrew Foster, Group Partnerships Director at Wildstone, said: "This project demonstrates the collaborative nature of the relationship between MMG/BackLite UK and Wildstone, with the parties working together on the transformation of this highly recognisable site. With its position on a major arterial route in an affluent area of South-West London, the Wandsworth Roundabout site was always premium in terms of location. Following our upgrades, it's now firmly premium in terms of infrastructure. We look forward to replicating this luxury revamp at our other sites that are operated by BackLite UK in the very near future."

"We're delighted to be the chosen display partner for the landmark Wandsworth Roundabout location. We're grateful to both BackLite UK and Wildstone for placing their trust in Daktronics and we're looking forward to a long and fruitful partnership," said Patrick Halliwell, Managing Director at Daktronics UK.