Canary Wharf Winter Lights Festival

At the London Art Fair I heard that Europeans (especially the French) consider that the British art scene is somewhat conservative. On Sunday night I went to see the Winter Lights Festival in London's Canary Wharf. I was amazed at this very modern and innovative show. Armed with the downloaded map on my iPad, I toured around the various light artworks.

The first artwork that I saw was Bit.Fall. Words cascade down one by one from a Times Newspaper feed. I  saw 'France' fall in watery light and captured it on my Vimeo video below.

Angels of Freedom by Israel's Ove Collective was among the most popular sections of the walk. People queued enthusiastically to have their pictures taken with angel wings and a halo over their heads. I kept expecting to see Nicholas Cage sitting on top of one of the Canary Wharf Towers as in the film City of Angels.

There was also a long queue to go inside the huge, egg-shaped light installation. Ovo came from Belgium. (Again you can see it in action on my video below).

Some of the best light installation were in and around the Crossrail building. The American Water Wall and Danish Cathedral of Mirrors were highly innovative with unusual light displays and 'music'. Both are best enjoyed on the video.

The Crossrail Roof Gardens revealed yet more innovative works. There was even one made from recycled plastic bottles by schoolchildren with a British light artist.

Liter of Light by Mick Stephenson and schoolchildren

The most innovative works were inside the Crossrail Place building down on floor -3. I nearly missed them all as I couldn't initially work out where the entrance was. I'm glad that I persevered. These works are really best viewed on the video. A number of them were interactive, changing according to the actions of the people in the room.


Canary Wharf's Winter Lights Festival, London - January 2017 from Karen Andrews on Vimeo.

By far the most interesting, involved waiting in a long queue. It was a British/Australian interactive light sculpture. One man was asked to wear an EEG headset. The lights and music changed according to his brain waves and levels of concentration. I have put that section into its own separate video so that you can enjoy it in full, even if you don't get a chance to head to Crossrail Place at Canary Wharf in person. You can find further details on each light installation on the Canary Wharf website.

Judging by the enthusiasm of the crowds on a bitterly cold night in Canary Wharf, the British aren't so conservative after all in their art appreciation. Nor are British artists unwilling to experiment with new techniques.

Karen Andrews is a freelance French to English translator, transcreator, content writer and editor. She has a strong background in global marketing.

Email Karen for further information via karenanglicityen@gmail.com in French, German or English.

Britannia battles for attention with digital

Despite slowing a little, Britain's annual growth figures are the best since 2007 according to Reuters yesterday. The announcement reminded me of seeing advertising in London's Canary Wharf last summer. A large advertising poster for the Financial Times particularly caught my eye. It shows that in this age of intrusive mobile ads, a large printed poster still works.

Mobile ad craze

Marketers are forever chasing the latest trend. As a result, many just end up copying. The world is now awash with boring, unoriginal copy. Mobile ads are in. Go digital. Content is king. So marketing is full of serfs. We all just surf past them.

Mobile ads can be great when they work. Most of the time, they are just downright irritating. They keep popping up. Your interest is in the material the ad has just hidden. You probably click on "skip ad" as quickly as possible. You were meant to retain the brand, but probably don't. If you do, it is associated with your irritation. 

So many mobile ads are poorly constructed. How many ads do not show the "x" to close within your screen, whichever way you turn your smartphone? Sometimes old-fashioned print works best. It can work well alongside digital marketing. Print often has more enduring and positive effects than pop-ups.

Billboards

I often notice billboards and large posters. They usually catch my eye when I am waiting for a train or bus - even when I have my smartphone in hand. Their size and more professional production lead to greater retention. Isn't that what advertisers are after?

Piccadilly Circus digital billboard

The clarity of the digital billboard in London's Piccadilly Circus is absolutely amazing. A video captured on my mobile simply doesn't do it justice. You must see it for yourself. My favourites were the Coca Cola, Samsung and Dyson ads recently. However, not every company has their sort of advertising budget.

When I saw the Financial Times poster last summer, I had just turned a corner. The live ticker announcements on the Reuter's building were still fresh in my mind. Various economies weren't doing as well as Britain. Then I saw the FT's poster showing Britannia climbing back onto her plinth.

On closer inspection, I saw that Britannia had her foot planted on a lion's snout. Let's face it Britannia is no lightweight, sylph-like figure. She's a mature woman. Her hips and finances went pear-shaped.  She's back. This resilient warrior has survived many battles. (There should be more of her in finance).

The lion supporting Britannia's return to her plinth is another visual representation of Britain. The British lion is strong, despite some obvious discomfort. The British economy is emerging from a tough time.

This poster campaign had a strong emotive appeal for any Briton, a message for investors in the UK and a strong association with the FT's brand. Paying attention is optional unlike with mobile advertising. The potential for retention is far greater. I recall this ad even though I saw it last year. I can't remember the brand of the mobile ad that irritated me this morning. The best digital is great, but print isn't dead.

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is
a content writer and
marketing consultant. 

If you are interested in content marketing, please contact karen@anglicity.com. Karen Andrews is an experienced financial marketer with versatile and original copywriting skills.