Mr David Neish, marketing director of Tower Marketing, said it was ideal for corporate advertising, rather than branded goods.

''There are no other adverts in the vicinity and the tower can be seen from 360 degrees,'' he said.

''Unlike other signage in China, because of the television station, it is guaranteed electricity so the signs won't disappear inadvertently,'' he said.

Only six advertisers can buy space on the tower, by purchasing a full side of the four-sided construction or half a side.

Display areas vary from 10 metres wide by 12 metres high, to a maximum area of 10 metres by 40 metres.

A fully animated neon display over the maximum area would cost $1.6 million for one-off production costs for an advertiser prepared to book the minimum term of two years at full-rate protection.

Despite the innovative marketing medium, agencies had been cool in response to Hongkong marketing efforts.

''Quite simply, no one believes it,'' Mr Neish said.

''We have ended up not dealing with agencies because they procrastinate and confuse the clients.

''We are going direct to clients who may pass the information on to the agencies. A lot of agency people ring up and ask questions about reach and exposure and they haven't even been to Guangzhou.

''As an outdoor medium, it is difficult to know what the exposure will be, but the fact is it is the highest profile media in Guangzhou.'' Mr Neish said alternative energy sources were being sought as power consumption and construction costs were high.

''We are talking with a large European corporation to develop a patented system using ultra-violet lighting which will consume considerably less power than conventional displays allowing for solar panels,'' he said.

Other television towers in Shandong Province, Sichuan Province, Beijing and central China were being considered by Tower Marketing and plans for marketing a concrete television tower, to be built in Shenzhen next year, were underway.