History Main / SkyscraperMessages

* A 1970s {{Spider-Man}} story has the Shocker doing this with whole city blocks as part of an extortion scheme. Unsurprisingly, a later story has [[PsychoElectro Electro]] doing the same thing.

* In ''{{Hackers}}'', the finale has Crash having rigged windows visible from their [[RunningGag Rooftop Swimming Pool]] to read "Crash + Burn", which really impresses Burn that much more.
* The finale of ''SleeplessInSeattle'' puts a giant red heart shape on the four sides of the Empire State Building.
* ''FightClub''

* In ''FuruhataNinzaburou'', such a window lighting event ''breaks'' the suspect's alibi--the hotel where he was staying was spelling out its name in lights, and if he was in the room with the drapes open, then it would have ruined the character.
* One episode of ''BarneyMiller'' has a call about a man on a ledge. It's quickly followed by a report that the man is writing on the windows. Barney asks "It's not a jumper?" Wojo replies "Unless it's a suicide note."

* An episode of ''Series/ArtAttack'' had Neil do this with the skyscrapers in New York City.

* The cover of one (UK version) ''[[DennisTheMenaceUK Dennis The Menace]]'' album has Dennis and Gnasher being chased out of a building after doing this.

* Taipei 101 does this for most holidays. e.g. A heart for Valentine's day, [=E=MC2=] for Einstein's birthday...

* ''TheCritic'' did a parody of the ''Sleepless In Seattle'' thing, with Siskel And Ebert. They {{Lampshaded}} it.

SkyscraperMessages come from lighting specifically chosen windows in otherwise dark buildings to make recognizable images or words. The trope, of course, only occurs at night.

Skyscrapers [[CaptainObvious are very tall and covered in windows]]. This makes them a useful canvas for a creative person to turn into a message an entire city (or the world) can see.

!!Examples:

* Taken UpToEleven in ''Anime/{{Gunbuster}}'' and ''Anime/DieBuster'', [[spoiler:where then entire ''planet'' is shut down then lit up to give our heroines a warm welcome back after ''ten thousand'' years.]]

* An episode of ''{{CSI}}'' had a business do this to try and win back his former fiance. [[spoiler: He rejected her in favour of his boss' daughter. Then changed his mind and invoked this trope. She turned him down (albeit quite gently) but his boss (who was watching from that very building) killed him for rejecting his daughter]].

* A hotel in ''GrandTheftAutoViceCity'' will, in typical Rockstar North fashion, light up at night in the form of [[http://www.grandtheftwiki.com/File:WKChariot-GTAVC-VicePoint-penislight.jpg an erect penis]]. In ''GrandTheftAutoViceCityStories'', the same hotel shows the same thing, ejaculating.

* In the episode of ''DannyPhantom'' where Danny is dating Valerie, the two of them see building lights writing out "D+V" while riding a Ferris wheel. This was all set up by Technus as part of a plan.

* Many office buildings light up windows to shape stars or Christmas trees during the holidays.

* Taken UpToEleven in ''Anime/Gumbuster'' and ''AnimeDieBuster'', [[spoiler:where then entire ''planet'' is shut down then lit up to give our heroines a warm welcome back after ''ten thousand'' years.]]

* A 1970s Spider-Man story has the Shocker doing this with whole city blocks as part of an extortion scheme. Unsurprisingly, a later story has [[PsychoElectro Electro]] doing the same thing.

* In ''Furuhata Ninzaburou'', such a window lighting event ''breaks'' the suspect's alibi--the hotel where he was staying was spelling out its name in lights, and if he was in the room with the drapes open, then it would have ruined the character.

* ''BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' during "The Music Meister Sings The Song The World Wants To Hear", two skyscrapers behind him spell out the name of the villain.

* Actually done at MIT with the Green Building. They've played ''{{Tetris}}'' by altering its lights.

* [[FunWithAcronyms P.I.W.O.]] Light Show.

* A hotel in ''GrandTheftAutoViceCity'' will, in typical Rockstar North fashion, light up at night in the form of [http://www.grandtheftwiki.com/File:WKChariot-GTAVC-VicePoint-penislight.jpg an erect penis]. In ''GrandTheftAutoViceCityStories'', the same hotel shows the same thing, ejaculating.

* Actually done at MIT with the Green Building. They've play {{Tetris}} by altering its lights.
** Brown sees your Green Building, MIT, and raises you [[http://bastilleweb.techhouse.org/ "La Bastille"]] (the aforementioned Tetris on the side of a building).

[[AC: {{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

[[AC: TruthInTelevision]]
* Actually done at MIT with the Green Building. They've play {{Tetris}} by altering its lights.
** Brown sees your Green Building, MIT, and raises you [[http://bastilleweb.techhouse.org/ "La Bastille"]] (the aforementioned Tetris on the side of a building).
* Many office buildings light up windows to shape stars or Christmas trees during the holidays.
* Done for real in the city of Chicago for various events; most recently, as a countdown for the Olympic committee selecting who would be hosting the Summer Olympics in 2016. Regrettably, Chicago did not win.
* Taipei 101 does this for most holidays. e.g. A heart for Valentine's day, [=E=MC2=] for Einstein's birthday...
* An archive of some of the ones Chicago has done over the years is [[http://steveandamysly.tannerworld.com/features/cnaplaza/ here]].

* Taipei 101 does this for most holidays. e.g. A heart for Valentine's day, [E=MC2] for Einstein's birthday...