London Live appoints Engine6 to build digital platform
October 24, 2013
London Live has hired leading digital technology agency Engine6 to develop the online delivery platforms for the highly-anticipated channel due to launch in Spring 2014. Engine6 has brought in creative design studio 100 Shapes who have worked on iPlayer and Blinkbox to develop the user experience.
The brief for Engine6 is to create an online, interactive destination for Londoners with content from the TV channel and editorial news teams, and with videos, pictures and comments created by other Londoners. It will keep Londoners at the heart of the channel and give them an innovative, interactive experience across all devices.
Engine6, founded in 2010 by Stefan Finch, has worked on a number of high-profile technically challenging projects and is ideally suited to help London Live to create an online technology platform that will deliver a seamless user experience across desktop, tablet, mobile and video wall screens.
The look and feel of the London Live site will reflect the brand identity being created by recently appointed design and branding agency Kemistry, which will be using illustrations from Israeli-born Yoni Alter. The new site will also feed directly into the existing London Evening Standard website.
Zach Leonard, Managing Director of Digital at London Evening Standard and Independent Newspapers, was involved with the appointment process and his digital team will provide the on-going support for London Live, managing the structure and the plumbing of its advertising offering.
London Live, set to be London’s first dedicated entertainment channel, has been keen to work with the right digital partners since ESTV won the bid for the London channel licence in February. Following a highly competitive pitch, the London Live team were impressed by Engine6’s innovative ideas, which perfectly suited the vision for London Live, a TV channel built with modern viewing habits in mind.
Tim Kirkman, COO London Live said: “The launch of London Live is hugely exciting for all involved and also for London. TV is undergoing a huge shift and there are new opportunities with digital platforms to deliver a unique and forward-thinking TV channel for London. Engine6 will help us achieve that goal.”
Stefan Finch, Technical Principal and Founder at Engine 6, said: “We are very excited to be working on London Live’s online presence – and with everyone having a different perspective on what London means to them, there is a great opportunity to bring together the live television channel with video on demand, social and community generated content, to provide a personalised and interactive experience that deepens engagement with the places where we work, visit, live and discover.”