Samsung and Panasonic in London Eye sponsor talks

The Sunday Telegraph yesterday claimed Merlin Entertainments, which owns a majority stake in the Thames-side attraction, is holding early-stage talks with the two technology companies.

The Eye has been without a sponsor since last July when British Airways ended its deal after nine years.

According to the newspaper a range of companies have expressed interest, including Nike, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates and Adidas, however, they have cooled since the start of the recession.

Any deal with Samsung and Panasonic is likely to be connected to the Eye's recent announcement of a £12.5m refurbishment of its 32 capsules to improve heating and ventilation and introduce ceiling mounted TV screens and better wi-fi.

In addition to being given naming rights, the winning bidder would take the lead on the technological aspect of the refurbishment.

This article was first published on brandrepublic.com