Design
London's Brand Olympics
The Games have provided an unprecedented opportunity, not always welcome, for companies to attach their names to parts of the city.
Once the Olympic Games have passed, 2012 may be remembered in Britain as the year East London got branded. London’s Olympic year has certainly given major brands unprecedented chances to attach their names to redeveloped sections of the city.
The most glaring example of this is Emirates Airlines’ recent naming of two new stops – Emirates Greenwich Peninsula and Emirates Royal Dock – on the London subway map. The Dubai-based carrier has managed this by ploughing £36 million into a new transport link, an aerial cable car crossing the River Thames in London’s Docklands. Called the Emirates Air Line, the cable car saw its first test runs last week and should open before this summer’s games.