Mega Profile up in arms after loss of Fort Dunlop

A legal tug of war is being fought over the world’s largest poster advertising site after the landlord of the site took the lease from Mega Profile and gave it to rival Clear Channel.

The site – Fort Dunlop in the Midlands – is best known for carrying Adidas’ Word Cup ads, which featured David Beckham. It was leased three years ago to Mega Profile.

Fort Dunlop, a former factory next to the M6, is owned by Advantage West Midlands, which appointed an independent agent to renegotiate the lease last year. The agent appointed Clear Channel at the end of last year.

Mega Profile, which originally dreamed up the idea for the site to carry advertising, is disputing whether Advantage West Midlands acted in accordance with the terms of the lease when terminating it.

A statement from Mega Profile confirms the dispute and adds: “Unless we can reach agreement with the landlord, this will have to be determined by the courts.”

Clear Channel, which has little experience in large-format banners, is setting up a division to sell the site.

Clear Channel’s last and only foray into banner advertising ended in disaster, when it attempted to hang a massive poster for Triumph bras. The project was aborted after health and safety officials ruled against it (MW September 16, 1999).