Volkswagen ID Buzz and Blue Monday SAD light

According to ‘science’, Monday was the most depressing day of the year, thanks to a mix of dark days, a return to humdrum routines, and the first credit card bills arriving. However, Volkswagen brightened Blue Monday for commuters at Sutton Walk bridge, near Waterloo Station, with a vast ‘electric sunshine’ light panel and an ID Buzz.

The billboard is the first of its kind, employing the same technology used in standard SAD (seasonal affective disorder) lamps but on a larger scale.

SAD lamps can help individuals with winter-onset Seasonal Affective Disorder – a form of depression that occurs primarily during the winter and is exacerbated by reduced daylight levels – by replicating sunlight. Using light therapy to mimic sunlight, the technology is designed to radiate positivity, allowing passers-by to pause and recharge under the light of the ‘electric’ sun.

Inspired by Volkswagen’s all-electric ID Buzz, the billboard is powered by 100% renewable energy from Green Voltage UK.

Volkswagen collaborated with a team of designers and engineers to create a giant electric sun lamp. While the ID Buzz’s LED matrix headlamps might not create such a warm glow, they are part of a number of design touches that give the Volkswagen a presence unlike anything else on the road. Volkswagen go so far as to claim that the ID Buzz is “a source of positive energy, ready to make you smile, even on Blue Monday!”

Laura Bignall, Brand and Performance Marketing Manager at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles: “We’re likely all too familiar with the challenges surrounding the New Year, with Blue Monday often considered particularly trying. This is why we wanted to brighten the days of those passing by with our SAD lamp installation and all-electric ID. Buzz — whose smile is infectious!”

Phil Huff
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