Morgan Stanley has overhauled LED signage at its Broadway HQ with a huge outdoor data visualisation display. The investment bank drafted in UK creative studio Framestore Labs for the installation on New York's Times Square. The Framestore team led by director Robin Carlisle and producer Jonny Dixon custom built a hardware system that allows Morgan Stanley's marketing team and its partner Bloomberg's creative agency to create content and display it in Framestore designed templates and graphics.
“Morgan Stanley was looking for a creative partner to work alongside Bloomberg to deliver something new for their LED screens,†said Dixon. “Their previous set-up had been in place for over 20 years, and although the amber ticker was well-known, the technology didn’t allow them to deliver fresh and compelling content."
"In Times Square especially, there is a need to stay fresh and relevant,†Carlisle added: “We knew we had to offer something innovative. The financial sector is an interesting area for us, because, on the face of it, these are not traditionally creative companies. We found that Morgan Stanley were very open to ideas and were very clear on what the company stands for.â€
Noting the unique aspect of the new display, Dixon continued: “The feeds, the data input, additional inputs via a CMS – these were simply not possible with the older systems. We’re moving more into content creation here, integrating corporate videos with dynamic content driven by real-time data.
“The space is unusual – seven screens, of different aspect ratios and resolutions. The Labs team worked closely with Bloomberg’s creative team to maximise use of the format. Previously, the only home for this type of content would have been website. Now, it’s got a new stage,†he added.