HOME HISTORY ARTICLES BUYOUT INTERVIEWS SHOP VIDEOS GAME FAQ SEARCH PRESS & CONTACT
  • HOME
  • HISTORY
  • ARTICLES
  • INTERVIEWS
  • BUYOUT
I Love Marmite
  • VIDEOS
  • FAQ
  • SEARCH
  • SHOP
  • PRESS & CONTACT
Spreading Marmite Love since 2000
  1. Home
  2. Articles
  3. Backstage at Oxford St Lights
Nov 9 2012 Post Icon

Backstage at Oxford St Lights

By: Seamus Waldron Published: 9 November 2012

On Monday 5th November, I was invited to be a behind the scenes reported for Marmite at the Marmite Oxford Street Lights Switch-on Event. It was a fantastic event with the cast from Scrooge, Lawson, Leona Lewis and Robbie Williams.

Not having done the reporter thing, I was nervous, but it took perhaps only a nano-second for me to agree to step-up to the mic and stick my face in-front of the camera.

Scrooge is a new musical in London, Lawson have a new single in the charts, Leona didn't have much to promote and Robbie had a new album launched that day and his single "Candy" had just gone to Number 1 in the official music charts - so everyone was up for a great time.

I snuck a look at the lights before meeting up with the Marmite team. They looked good, but I couldn't get to my head around how the "interactive" banner - I just had to wait the official switch-on to see! We did some nosing around backstage, made up of two tour buses, one for Robbie and the other for Leona and Lawson. A small area was set aside for the meet and greets and an outside broadcast unit for the live editing and broadcast of the show. The stage was up high and if you suffered from vertigo, it wasn't the place to be :-) It was a great view of Oxford Street, from Centre Point to Marble Arch. We shot two videos. One I did on my trusty iPhone and the other done professionally by Marmite. I cannot express my gratitude for the brilliant editing of the Marmite Backstage Video as it makes me look half competent as a reporter, though I don't think my day-job is in jeopardy!
On twitter (@seamuswaldron), I was getting large numbers of followers and I was posting lots of little updates with the hashtag #marmitexmaslights. The social media side of things was really interesting as I was posting photos first to Instagram and then pushing to Twitter and Facebook. When I posted the videos, I got the most interactions when the video was posted to Facebook - as opposed to linking to a video on YouTube. From a nerdy point of view, that was really interesting. Loads of old friends and strangers have given me great feedback on the videos and I thank you all for your kind words. It was a fantastic day and I cannot thank Marmite enough for inviting me behind the scenes, I hope they come up with another bonkers idea and ask me back again! Oh yes, the interactive Marmite lights? Check this out.... If you want a chance to be in lights and being an Oxford Street super star? Love Marmite or hate Marmite, you could shine in the Marmite Oxford Street Xmas Lights by simply uploading your photo via the app on the Marmite Facebook page. Smile if you love, grimace if you hate it, there's space for lovers and haters! https://www.facebook.com/Marmite/app_478792335486805

Update, 2026: Marmite's brand-marketing era of one-off mass spectacles has given way to the much quieter business of the McCormick acquisition and the long-tail brand collaborations. See McCormick buys Marmite, and the rest of Unilever's pantry.

Provenance: Originally published on ilovemarmite.com (the site's original domain, 2000–2016). Republished here on ilovemarmite.co.uk in 2025 after the .com domain was lost. Original publication date preserved above.

Tags: marmitearchivedchristmasoxfordstreetrobbiewilliamscelebritieslondonbritishfood
Categories: Pop Culture References , Advertising Campaigns , Celebrity Endorsements

Related Articles

  • Visit to Marmite HQ

    Nov 2, 2012
  • Robbie Williams Lights Oxford St

    Oct 26, 2012
  • Win VIP Oxford St Lights Tickets

    Oct 26, 2012
  • Reporting from Oxford St Lights

    Oct 10, 2012
  • Marmite Sponsors Oxford St Lights

    Oct 3, 2012
  • Interview: Ariane Sherine

    Nov 19, 2009
Love Marmite Marmite Hate It The Marmite Mnemonicon Interviews The McCormick Buyout: all our coverage The Marmite A-List Marmite Myths Marmite Facts: things you didn't know The Marmite Shop Marmite Game: Tea Break

About I Love Marmite

Your comprehensive guide to Britain's most iconic yeast extract spread. Explore 200+ articles covering Marmite's rich history, cultural impact, recipes, news and everything about the spread you either love or hate.

Est. 2000 - Celebrating Marmite since 1902

Explore

  • Home
  • All Articles
  • Marmite History
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us

Popular Topics

  • Marmite History
  • Recipes
  • Latest News
  • British Culture
  • Nutrition & Health
  • Product Varieties

Article Archives

  • 2025 Articles
  • 2024 Articles
  • View All Articles
© 2000-2025 Seamus Waldron. All rights reserved.
I Love Marmite - The Ultimate Marmite Resource | Celebrating Britain's Most Divisive Spread