How Times Square Billboards Shaped Modern Advertising

Times Square has never been subtle. That’s the point.

Since the late 1800s, one square mile of Manhattan has been defined by the signs that surround it. Before it was Times Square, it was Long Acre Square, and even then, walls were painted with ads pitching everything from cigars to theater shows. But in 1905, when The New York Times moved its headquarters to 42nd and Broadway, the area was rebranded. So was Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising.

Where Innovation Meets Infrastructure

Planters lit up the block with pulsating neon that blurred the line between signage and animation. Billboards didn’t just sell. They were part of the allure. 

Ads for whiskey, razors and washing machines climbed the walls in layers, stacked for maximum eyes on the street.

As ambitions grew, so did the billboards. JVC maintained one of Times Square’s longest brand runs, starting in 1979 with a VHS-era spectacular at 46th and Broadway, then a rotating globe near 43rd. In 1999, Kodak rebuilt its “Kodarama” sign as the district’s first LED-screen billboard, signaling a move from print to dynamic display. Hershey’s multi-level, neon-stacked façade turned its store into a vertical brand landmark.

By the time LED technology entered the picture in the late 90s, Times Square was primed for transformation. And Clear Channel Outdoor was already embedded in the story.

The Trifecta That Makes It Possible

There are three things that make these experiences possible in Times Square: creativity, technology and real estate. That intersection is where Clear Channel Outdoor operates.

The strategy behind the canvas is just as important as the content. Clear Channel’s displays operate in dwell zones like Duffy Square and the Broadway Pedestrian Plaza, places where people linger, take selfies, wait for show tickets or watch a live stream on New Year’s Eve.

Times Square as a Cultural Pulse Point

This is the only place in America where a billboard can host a concert and be part of a countdown watched by a billion people. The New Year’s Eve ball drop is a tradition as much about screens as it is about time. And every year, Times Square becomes a shared screen for the planet. The confetti, the brand takeovers, the “Happy New Year” countdowns synced to midnight all serve as reminders that people still gather for moments that feel big.

It’s not just New Year’s. When the U.S. Women’s National Team won the 2019 World Cup, CCO hosted a campaign in Times Square to celebrate Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan. 

When Broadway launches a new season, when brands drop a new product, when the Tony Awards go live—this is where brands come to be in the moment, at scale.

From Static to Streaming

Today, the media mix in Times Square reflects the shift from reach to relevance. A sign can be tall, wide, curved or all three. It can pulse with light, deliver a live feed, or update in real time. That’s why brands like Coca-Cola, Netflix, HBO and Disney continue to have a permanent presence in Times Square.

Clear Channel Outdoor operates more than 20 premium digital and printed billboards across Times Square alone, each one part of a living canvas that never goes dark. The company’s ability to blend design, location, and digital capability means that creative ideas become branded architecture.

Looking Ahead

The original billboards of Times Square helped define the identity of the district. In turn, Times Square shaped what billboards could become. From early electric signs to today’s digital displays, each generation has contributed to the space as both a creative canvas and a cultural landmark.

Brands choose Times Square because it signals presence and permanence. It’s a location where campaigns are seen, photographed, shared, and remembered. The visibility is unmatched, and the context is powerful.

Clear Channel Outdoor continues to invest in this environment with innovation in format, scale, and storytelling. Times Square remains one of the few places where out-of-home is not just part of the landscape. It is the landscape.

_{Sources: Times Square Alliance; ecoustics; New York Times}