Illuminating the Sunset Boulevard Nightscape
A Groundbreaking 3D Digital Billboard Debuts on Sunset Boulevard
A new era of digital billboards has arrived on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California. Daktronics, a leading supplier of digital billboards, has installed a unique 3D anamorphic display that is set to revolutionize the landscape of outdoor advertising and public art.
The billboard, co-owned by Orange Barrel Media (OBM) and The Now, and operated by OBM, boasts a corner-cube LED design that creates a three-dimensional anamorphic effect visible from multiple angles. With a total area of 2,500 square feet, it is the first and currently only 3D anamorphic display on the Sunset Strip.
Key features of this impressive billboard include a multi-display configuration forming a cube-like structure at the intersection of La Cienega and Sunset Boulevard. The main face of the billboard measures approximately 19 x 110 feet with a sharp 90-degree corner, complemented by underside displays measuring 13 x 100 feet. All displays feature 6mm pixel spacing for crisp, clear images, and a seamless look around the corner, a significant engineering challenge successfully overcome to maintain visual continuity across angles.
The display supports full-motion digital content that leverages the corner-cube shape for dynamic advertising content that transforms and appears 3D as viewers move past it. This innovative technology offers advertisers and artists the opportunity to explore the use of 3D motion media on cutting-edge technology.
The billboard is more than just a digital advertising platform. It serves as an iconic gateway into West Hollywood, enhancing the visual experience on one of Los Angeles’ most iconic entertainment corridors. With its pioneering technology and design, it will truly enhance the corner for years to come, according to stakeholders.
The billboard's unique structure and high-resolution LED technology, combined with its large physical scale, make it a groundbreaking project that elevates both the aesthetic and commercial landscape on Sunset Boulevard.
In addition, the digital billboard is expected to generate over 2 million weekly impressions, making it a valuable asset for advertisers looking to reach a wide audience. The underside displays feature louver-less faces, a rare industry feature, ensuring maximum visibility from all appropriate viewing angles.
This project is a collaborative effort between leading media and technology companies, with consulting services provided by Consumer Experience Group (CEG). The ongoing content mix of The Now includes Art on Sunset public arts programming, a public initiative focused on collaborations with Los Angeles-based artists.
With its innovative design, high-tech features, and commitment to public art, the new 3D anamorphic digital billboard on Sunset Boulevard is poised to become a significant activation of the public realm, featuring memorable ad campaigns and impactful curated art projects. The billboard goes live in April 2025, marking a new chapter in the evolution of digital billboards and outdoor advertising.
[1] Source: Orange Barrel Media press release, 2023 [2] Source: Daktronics press release, 2024
- The new 3D anamorphic digital billboard on Sunset Boulevard, a fusion of technology and public art, aims to revolutionize the landscape of outdoor advertising, transforming it into a platform for both dynamic advertising content and impactful art projects.
- The billboard's unique structure, coupled with its high-resolution LED technology and large scale, positions it as a significant activation of the public realm, offering advertisers an opportunity to explore the use of 3D motion media on cutting-edge technology.
- In the realm of home-and-garden and outdoor-living, this cutting-edge technology also extends to louver-less faces on the underside displays of the billboard, ensuring maximum visibility from all appropriate viewing angles, much like the importance of unobstructed views in designing living spaces.
