Advertisers to sponsor Tube roundel

London Transport is to allow advertisers to sponsor its London Underground roundel – the famous red circle and blue bar station sign – for the first time.

This is a radical departure for London Underground which previously regarded its trademark as sacrosanct. The sponsor will be able to put its name on the white background of the sign either very close to the roundel, next to it or even inside it.

The roundel sponsorship is part of a broader deal put together by outdoor specialist TDI and LT, which will allow a single company to sponsor the whole of the North Greenwich tube station – the tube station closest to the Millennium Dome – for 10m.

The 10m sponsorship package will include illuminated sheet sites, electronic signage and laser displays.

London Underground’s commercial development manager, Mike Horne, says: “This is a unique high visibility branding opportunity for companies to shine before a genuinely global audience.”

The advertising site is particularly attractive because the Millennium Dome has a two-mile car exclusion zone around it. This means that an estimated 94 per cent of visitors will arrive at and depart from the site using public transport.

London Transport says it has no plans to offer sponsorship deals for other underground station roundels at present.