Massive completes ‘Rainbow Row’ installation for London Marathon

Massive, a provider of specialist services to mass participation charity and outdoor events, recently used Alumigraphics Grip from Soyang Europe to create a set of floor graphics for the 2026 TCS London Marathon.

The 46th London Marathon took place on April 26^th, with tens of thousands taking part in a race that spans London starting in Greenwich and finishing at The Mall.

Located just after mile 21, the Rainbow Row area was a 250-metre stretch of the route created to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and promote inclusivity.

To fit in with this theme, Massive was tasked by Proud Events to produce floor graphics to mark the start and end of the Rainbow Row section.

Ross Slaughter, production lead at Massive, says: “The initial conversation was to supply a larger floor graphic, but after various conversations with Proud Events and London Marathon Events we settled on two 5m x 2m graphics to ‘bookend’ the Rainbow Row area.”

Working out of four offices across the UK, Massive operates primarily as an events delivery agency, with one arm of the business focusing on branding and wayfinding.

The company has created and supplied materials to a host of clients including Formula 1 events in Belgium and Italy, as well as Pride in London.

Given that the Rainbow Row graphics would be subject to the footfall of almost 60,000 runners on the day, as well as support services vehicles, Massive identified the need for a material that could withstand this impact while also not causing a trip hazard for competitors.

The company selected Alumigraphics Grip for the project. A durable, foil-based floor covering, it has been designed for creative outdoor and indoor graphics, with its pressure-sensitive adhesive designed for secure application to textured or smooth surfaces including concrete, asphalt, paving, brick, and stone.

The material also features a slip-resistant textured surface, providing a safe walkway in high-traffic areas without the need for additional lamination.

Massive printed the rainbow-themed graphics in-house on its HP Latex 360 before travelling to the Limehouse area of London to install the application ahead of the race.

Slaughter adds: “Our client was very happy with the install; we have only had positive feedback from the organisers.”

The graphics were part of a historic day for the TCS London Marathon, with new world records set in both the men’s and women’s races, as well as for the total number of finishers.

Sabastian Sawe from Kenya broke the previous men's world record, becoming the first athlete to officially run a sub-two-hour marathon in legal conditions with a time of 1:59:30.

Ethiopian runner, Tigst Assefa, also set a new world record for a women-only marathon, winning with a time of 2:15:41.