Editing London Eye (section)

==Sponsors==
[[File:Odd One Out - geograph.org.uk - 2942583.jpg|thumb|Local councillors refused permission for an orange capsule promoting the attraction's sponsor]]
[[File:Aerial view of the London Eye. MOD 45146076.jpg|thumb|The Eye on the [[South Bank]] of the [[River Thames|Thames]], with [[Jubilee Gardens, Lambeth|Jubilee Gardens]] (left) and [[County Hall, London|County Hall]] (right) in the background]]
From the time of opening until 2008, the attraction was known as the British Airways London Eye under a [[naming rights]] deal.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london-eye-to-get-another-new-name-6553003.html |title=London Eye to get (another) new name |date=7 January 2011 |newspaper=London Evening Standard |access-date=16 January 2017}}</ref> In August 2009, it was rebranded as the Merlin Entertainments London Eye, reflecting the name of its operator.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rattray |first=David |date=2009-08-12 |title=London Eye takes Merlin branding |url=https://www.marketingweek.com/london-eye-takes-merlin-branding/ |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=Marketing Week |language=en}}</ref>

[[EDF Energy]] became the sponsor in 2011, reportedly paying about £2.5 million a year.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2011-01-07 |title=London Eye to be renamed in £8m EDF sponsorship deal |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12138387 |access-date=2025-04-16 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> The deal coincided with its sponsorship of the [[2012 Summer Olympics|London 2012 Olympic Games]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=EDF Energy signs three-year London Eye sponsorship |url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/edf-energy-signs-three-year-london-eye-sponsorship/1048247 |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]] |language=en}}</ref> A capsule was repainted bright orange to match the company's branding, but local councillors refused consent and requested it be restored to its original appearance.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |title=London Eye's "obtrusive" orange pod vetoed by Lambeth councillors |url=https://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/5192 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20190506175051/https://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/5192 |archive-date=2019-05-06 |access-date=2025-04-14 |work=London SE1 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=23 June 2011 |title=Advertisement Consent 10/04094/ADV (Decision Notice) |url=https://planning.lambeth.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=LCG6DSBO0AY00 |access-date=2025-04-14 |website= |publisher=[[Lambeth London Borough Council]]}}</ref>

In 2015, the attraction rebranded as the [[Coca-Cola]] London Eye, drawing criticism from children's health charities.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Khomami |first=Nadia |date=2015-01-18 |title=Welcome to the Coca-Cola London Eye … but health charities are already seeing red |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jan/18/coca-cola-london-eye-charity-anger |access-date=2025-04-14 |work=The Observer |language=en-GB |issn=0029-7712}}</ref> Labour MP [[Keith Vaz]] urged the Government to intervene, condemning the "irresponsible" promotion of a high-sugar product "at a time of record [[Childhood obesity|child obesity]], rotten teeth and [[diabetes]]."<ref>{{Cite web |title=COCA COLA SPONSORSHIP OF THE LONDON EYE - Early Day Motions - UK Parliament |url=https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/47569/coca-cola-sponsorship-of-the-london-eye |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=edm.parliament.uk |language=en}}</ref>

In 2020, the online travel retailer [[lastminute.com]] became the new sponsor, with the wheel illuminated at night in the brand’s hot pink.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hunt |first=El |date=14 November 2019 |title=The London Eye is turning pink in 2020 (at night, anyway) |url=https://www.timeout.com/london/news/the-london-eye-is-turning-pink-in-2020-at-night-anyway-111419 |access-date=24 April 2020 |website=[[Time Out London]]}}</ref>