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Something every artist, writer, singer, comedian, actor, or even social media influencer could ever hope for in their career is to be featured on the Times Square Billboards in New York City.
An area spanning several blocks in midtown with an incessant stimulation, the billboards in Times Square are often considered the highest and most honored form of advertising – often symbolising to creators that they've “made it”.
However, how many of us have stopped to think about the amount of power it takes to keep those advertisements running 24/7?
In this article, we’ll recap what Times Square billboards are, why they are energy intensive, and some potential solutions.
One of the most sought-after places to visit when traveling to New York City, the billboards in Times Square are the massive screens spanning for several blocks in midtown Manhattan – depicting the energy of the city while also serving as one of the highest forms of advertising on Earth.
Many artists will aspire to have their album, book, or T.V. show featured on a Times Square Billboard – often sharing their feature on social media for further exposure and promotion.
Similar to the Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo or Sunset & Vine in Los Angeles, the Times Square billboards are one of the most famous commercial spots for advertising – often being the first of the three examples to come to mind.
Some more characteristics of a Times Square Billboard include:
The overview cards below will reveal additional things to see in do while in Times Square:
Midtown’s Times Square is packed nearly 24/7 — lights, noise, and nonstop crowds define the energy here.
Known for commercial chains like Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, and the Disney Store — a hub for consumer culture.
Steps from major studios like NBC and the Today Show — broadcasts, billboards, and cameras are everywhere.
Grab a classic New York hot dog or pretzel from a street cart — a bite of NYC tradition in the chaos of Times Square.
Famous worldwide for the New Year’s Eve countdown — with confetti, crowds, and a glittering crystal ball drop.
Characters in costumes, tour sellers, and selfie sticks everywhere — it’s a magnet for visitors from all over the world.
Overall, Times Square billboards are characterised by their immense size, brightness, dynamic content, interactivity, and global visibility, making them a quintessential feature of the New York City landscape and a symbol of modern advertising and commercialism.
Times Square wasn’t always the incessant stimulation powerhouse it is today, seeing as the first electronic advertisement didn’t go up in Times Square until 1904 – but the concept for Times Square billboards dates back to the 1880s.
Did you know that you could pay to have your advertisement featured on one of Times Square’s biggest billboards – starting at $40?
Times Square Billboards first started as large, hand painted displays – with the modern version of the Times Square billboards we know today starting in the 20th century.
However, the billboards in Times Square became as popular as they are today as a result of theaters moving to midtown in Manhattan during World War I. As these vivacious productions made their way up-town, so did hotels and restaurants – all of which helped to create the lively dynamic found in midtown today.
The timeline below will reveal how billboards in Times Square have evolved from the late 1800s to present day:
In the late 1800s, Times Square featured hand-painted signs and lithographic posters pasted on buildings.
By the early 1900s, electric lightbulbs made ads stand out at night — the first step toward its glowing reputation.
In the 1920s–30s, neon signage exploded in popularity, adding color and movement to Times Square’s skyline.
From the 1950s on, billboards included animated lights and mechanical motion to grab attention in creative ways.
The late 1990s saw the rise of digital billboards — with LED lights and screen transitions becoming the new norm.
Today, entire building facades are wrapped in high-definition LED video — broadcasting moving ads 24/7.
Modern billboards now use motion sensors and smartphone syncing to engage passersby in real-time experiences.
Overtime, Times Square became a highly desirable place in the city – which is what helped to spur the movement of creating the Times Square billboards we see today.
As of today, Times Square draws in around 50 million visitors each year.
Times Square billboards may be the most desired billboard to have your book, T.V. show, or album plastered on – but it isn’t the only billboard in the United States or the rest of the world, seeing as many will aim for a billboard in Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, or even during the Super Bowl in the United States.
Billboards in highly congested areas, tourist destinations, or telecast on sporting events with high viewership are sought-after billboards due to the potential to promote the brand or artist.
If there's a form of American advertising that creeps up close behind Times Square Billboards, it's the commercials played during the Super Bowl.
In fact, the Super Bowl may be making its way to be on par with a Times Square billboard. The Super Bowl LIX, which aired on February 10, 2025, drew in a massive 127.7 million people – making it the most watched broadcast in the United States since the 1969 moon landing.
It is important to note that while many tuned in to watch Kendrick Lamar's halftime performance and Taylor Swift’s relationship with Travis Kelce in real time on-screen – a study by Advocado revealed that a whopping 42% of Americans will tune into the Super Bowl just for the commercials.
The Super Bowl is infamous for airing new and specialised commercials during the final football game of the season, often featuring celebrities or other well-known public figures.
The interactive flip cards below (move cursor over card to flip) will reveal a few other examples of famous billboards besides the ones in Times Square:
All of these iconic landmarks with billboards go to show how physical advertisements have not slowed down even whilst in the age of digital media.
Even in the age of social media and incessant technology usage, many industries still rely on billboard advertisements to get their product or service out there, and yet – we often fail to acknowledge the environmental impact of these drastic advertisements.
Billboards, especially the ones in Times Square that run on a constant basis, require copious amounts of energy to remain visible to tourists 24/7.
The amount of energy it takes to keep the Times Square Billboards is likely to scare some people – seeing as it takes a massive 161 megawatts per day to keep the advertisements on. To put this massive energy consumption into perspective, that’s around the same amount of energy it takes to power 160,000 houses.
The overview cards will reveal how this staggering amount of energy used to power Times Square Billboards could be used elsewhere:
That’s enough energy to fully power 160,000 households for an entire day.
Just one day’s Times Square power could fuel 1,300 electric trains in operation.
Roughly the daily energy use of three manufacturing plants combined.
It’s enough energy to keep 14 full-sized amusement parks running for the day.
Additional ways in which Times Square Billboards impact the environment include:
Times Square billboards aren’t going to go anywhere, meaning that it’s imperative we find a way to make their presence more sustainable moving forward.
Times Square’s billboards are an iconic part of the New York experience, meaning we shouldn’t get rid of them – but find ways to make them more eco-friendly in the midst of climate change.
New York City is very vocal about climate change, even displaying a “climate clock” in Union Square which demonstrates how many years we have left before the effects of climate change become irreversible.
The drop down sections below will revel additional ways that New York City has worked to combat climate change:
The drop down sections below will reveal additional ways that New York City has worked to combat climate change:
NYC has planted over a million trees as part of its effort to create a robust urban forest, which helps cool the city, absorb CO₂, and reduce energy costs.
NYC has expanded green spaces like the High Line and installed hundreds of green roofs to manage stormwater and decrease the urban heat island effect.
One of the most ambitious climate laws in the U.S., Local Law 97 mandates large buildings to drastically cut emissions by 2030 — or face steep fines.
NYC is electrifying its fleet of public buses and encouraging e-bike adoption to reduce transportation emissions and improve air quality.
Projects like the East Side Coastal Resiliency initiative aim to protect NYC neighborhoods from rising sea levels through barriers, parks, and elevated infrastructure.
Rooftop farms, community gardens, and local produce markets are helping reduce NYC’s food-related emissions while improving food access.
Here some ideas to help reduce the environmental impact of Times Square billboards:
Did you know that in recent years, the Eiffel Tower in France has also practiced energy conservation? In 2022, the Eiffel Tower started shutting off its lights and infamous “sparkle show” an hour earlier than usual to preserve power.
Ultimately, the billboards in Times Square and midtown itself will remain one of the most visited places in the world – meaning it’s imperative we find ways to decarbonise this famous landmark.
If reading this article about the impact of the Times Square billboards has made you interested in reducing your carbon emissions to further fight against climate change – Greenly can help you!
It can be challenging to determine the best solutions to determine the best advertising for your business, such as the Times Square billboards, but don’t worry – Greenly is here to help. Click here to schedule a demo to see how Greenly can help you find ways to effectively implement and utilise green finance.
Greenly can help you make an environmental change for the better, starting with a carbon footprint assessment to know how much carbon emissions your company produces.
Click here to learn more about Greenly and how we can help you reduce your carbon footprint.
NY Times https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/28/business/times-square-new-york-pandemic.html
Fast Company https://www.fastcompany.com/90834778/40-will-buy-15-seconds-of-fame-on-one-of-times-squares-largest-billboards
Historic Towns of America https://historictownsofamerica.com/most-visited-place
Swaay https://swaay.com/iconic-billboards-throughout-los-angeles
Nielsen https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2025/super-bowl-lix-makes-tv-history-with-over-127-million-viewers/
Advocado https://www.advanced-television.com/2022/02/04/survey-42-watch-super-bowl-specifically-for-ads/
Callao City Lights https://callaocitylights.es/en/circuito-gran-via/
The Verge https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/22/23803197/climate-change-clock-deadline-new-york
Politico https://www.politico.eu/article/eiffel-tower-light-paris-cut-energy-cost/
Friendly Power https://esource.bizenergyadvisor.com/article/manufacturing-facilities
Bionic https://bionic.co.uk/business-energy/guides/average-energy-usage-for-businesses/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/posts/erick-ford-60530113_did-you-know-it-takes-about-52000-kilowatt-hours-activity-7327633692791640065-BDnu
BART https://www.bart.gov/sites/default/files/docs/BLVX%20DEIR_Vol%202_3.M_EN.pdf
NYC Gov https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/862-15/mayor-de-blasio-celebrates-one-millionth-tree-former-mayor-michael-bloomberg-bette-midler-#/0 and https://www.nyc.gov/site/sustainablebuildings/ll97/local-law-97.page
NYU Environmental Law https://www.nyuelj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/1-Spiegel-Feld-Sherman.pdf
Columbia https://www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/publications/accelerating-electric-bus-adoption-new-york-city/
NYC Parks https://www.nycgovparks.org/planning-and-building/planning/neighborhood-development/east-side-coastal-resiliency