Some 45 years ago pantone first introduced its colour matching system for us designers and as a result it’s now a worldwide industry standard for graphics and print. In later years, the company started producing lifestyle products such as stationery, bikes and those gorgeous mugs no self-respecting design studio would be without.

The latest addition to its weighty portfolio is somewhat of a grander scale, as Brussels now plays resident to The Pantone Hotel. Yes, I know a hotel!

Created by Belgian architect Olivier Hannaert and interior designer Michel Penneman the hotel boasts seven floors and 59 rooms and suites in a variety of colours and hues. Guests are invited to choose rooms based on their mood – each of which have stunning facilities and enviable views of the city. In fact the rooms even come with their own range of Pantone toiletries, talk about deep branding!

In addition there are meeting rooms,a stylish roof terrace and a bar when you can even order colour matched cocktails, such as the Daiquiri Green 12-0435.

Oh well, just as long as they can ensure my croissant is a scrummy PMS 144 and not a 447!

Body language experts say that when you copy somebody else, you are saying…’I feel comfortable with you’

No, this isn’t a blog about my political persuasion, but what’s really interesting to me at the moment in terms of branding and marketing, is the brand alignment conundrum that our recent hung parliment has thrown up.

We all know very well that brand alignment can work exceptionally well, after all it’s no great shakes that Pepsi Max is embedded in extreme sports, as is Red Bull or that Zanussi recommends Ariel. Which all kind of makes me wonder about the overall success of a possible Conservative/Lib Dem coalition, yes Nick Clegg may get promises of a referendum on an alternative voting system but what effectively would the coalition do to the Lib Dem brand?

It’s a well mooted theory that many Lib Dem voters often go for the tactical vote in a two-horse race and plump for Labour in order to try and prevent a Conservative win. And as many of Labour’s policies are not as far removed it doesn’t feel too wrong for them. However, I do wonder how they feel about it all now. Plus, if you are viewing this from an internal communications standpoint many Tory and Lib Dem MPs have spoken out against such an alignment.

But, this is not the first time this has happened, Innocent in 2007 famously got into bed with MacDonalds and we all waited with baited breath to see what would happen. Many claimed initially that they had ’sold their soul’ but as a rather interesting school of thought pointed out at the time, it was felt that it would not harm the brand but indeed have positive effects on both. They concluded that in actual fact the product still remained the same and by selling it into MacDonalds it managed to reach, influence  and convert an audience it had not previously engaged with. MacDonalds, on the other hand tried to further their ‘look we’re healthy’ image.

That said, there are many examples whereby brands have not wanted to align themselves anymore with philandering sports stars who have discredited themselves in a variety of ways  - let’s face it, Gillete dropped Tiger Woods quicker than a hand grenade….

So how did Innocent manage the trial of one of their drinks in the outlets of one of the most demonised brands? Well, the product remained the same, they didn’t change how they looked or felt, plus they had an audience that truly loved them beyond all reason and felt very emotional about the brand. But, perhaps mostly importantly they asked what everyone thought. They called a meeting and discussed it internally, over lunch, and then they asked their customers via a blog….’to burger or not to burger‘. Look at this one post:

“I fully understand the other posters’ views and largely agree with the comments about McDonalds, however… Innocent is still Innocent – healthy drinks from an environmentally and socially responsible company. If this partnership leads to less children drinking rubbish, then great!”

And, those that were disgruntled will have forgiven as they went about it in true innocent style, honestly.

So, Nick Clegg, David Cameron say’s it’s decision time, but I say have you listened, have you engaged with your audience? Do you really know what your supporters want or have you just talked ‘at them’ on your blog? Will you back the right horse or at the very least go about it all in the right fashion, or will you damage your brand and lose some voters for good?

Whilst killing a bit of time over a cup of coffee I was doing my usual internet sniff and search. And, joy of joys I happened upon this. Throw out your Xbox or Wii and get ‘back to basics’   –  no, thankfully I am not talking about John Mayor’s 1992 General Election Campaign, I’m talking about the simple, relaxing art of colouring.

Read the full article in all it’s glory here. So, do I go for Indie Rock or Gangsta Rap???

I think the students from Design For Life could learn a lot by looking at the work of Kibardindesign.

His studio is based in Prague and has been described by Wallpaper magazine as one of 40 designers that will change the world. And, I can see why.

I just love his Black and White clock -it’s a digital clock made only of the actual numbers – it has no case and each figure has its own power supply and independent control. And the wonderful bit is that the figures are white in the dark time of day and black at daytime. Clever hey? No horrible wires, no clutter on your bedside table to knock off in the night and no hideous red digital displays….ahhhh.

I once heard someone say that a furniture maker makes a beautiful chair and does not assess if the market needs a new chair, a marketeer will look at the market and see what is required and then make it. Vadim Kibardin, proves that product designers can do both  - which is what Philippe Starck has been banging on about, albeit in a very random sort of way, so think on students and start listening.

Shaun Ryder was not the first to call them the rats of the skies but he might have been the first and only person to have poisoned 3,000 of Manchester’s pigeons with crack cocaine. Although that was never proven.

Never the less, it appears that these little beauties who have for goodness knows how long,  been depositing their presents atop of Nelsons head in Trafalgur Square have provided one designer with some fine inspiration.

Originally designed by Ed Carpenter when he was studying product design at London’s Royal College of Art, the Pigeon Light was exhibited at his degree show in summer 2001. Granted this was some time ago, however, it has now gone into production with Thorsten Van Elten and is for sale throughout Europe in a selection of bright colours with contrasting electrical flexes. Yipppeeee.

Whilst some have pigeon phobias (my best friend included), I happen to think these vacuum-formed Acrylic are pretty cooooooooooool (insert own pigeon impression).