Briefs

The Millennium Commission is meeting at the end of next week to discuss the choice of site for the year 2000 festival. The decision, between Greenwich and Birmingham, is expected by the end of February.

BIB Design, Frazer Design, Grey Matter, Lackie Newton and Inform Research Design Development are taking the five Government-subsidised places available to UK designers at US conference Partners in Technology, to be held at Salt Lake City from 4 to 8 March.

Virgin Cola’s new bottle shape, based on the figure of Baywatch star Pamela Anderson, has been designed by Ashley Stockwell, design and development manager at Virgin, with input from Rodney Fitch and Company.

Christopher Lorenz, the Financial Times journalist who championed the commercial value of design to its readers, has died aged 49.

Bass is due to launch two variants of its alcoholic lemonade Hooper’s Hooch this week. Packaging and point-of-sale material for the orange and blackcurrant flavours are by Edinburgh group Apex.

David Williams, London managing director of Swiss furniture firm Vitra for 12 years, is retiring in September. His job is being advertised.

Pearson Television is currently implementing a new marque, adapted by Marketplace Design from the Luxon Carr-designed Pearson corporate identity, to reflect its position as a worldwide company.