Why Samsung ad was pulled down at iconic KICC tower

Public uproar forced the management of Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) to pull down large advertising billboards at the neck of its iconic building before being stopped by the courts.

The glass display, which was wrapped around the 26th floor of the 28-storey building, has been displaying the Samsung brand for over a week with a glow that redefined the city’s skyline at night.

Alliance Media, a South Africa-based advertising firm with a presence in 23 African countries including Kenya, was contracted by KICC to undertake the project.

Acting KICC managing director Fred Simiyu said that a review of the advert was prompted by the public’s outcry, with some people saying that it was dishonouring the building.

Over the past days social media has been abuzz with debate over the issue, with most people calling for the advert to be brought down, which has even attracted columnists to opine on it.

“We have listened to what the public has had to say about the advert and the structure is definitely coming down to preserve the natural state of the building,” Mr Simiyu told the Business Daily on phone on Friday.

“In addition, the screen was not rotating as had been anticipated and this was another reason we decided to take it down and deliberate with our partner on our options.”

On Friday, the High Court stopped KICC from removing advertising signs following a petition by Alliance Media.

The firm reckoned that the stoppage of the billboards was in breach of a 2012 contract that allowed it to run the adverts for three years.

It claimed it was making quarterly lease payments of Sh1,350,000 to KICC.

The suit comes as KICC supported the advertising in a press notice Friday. 

“Similar screens have been placed in other countries, both on private and public buildings,” noted the notice while citing the example of France’s Eiffel Tower.