News in Brief round-up

Robin Smith has been appointed as creative head of Imagination’s Middle East division. Smith joins from Geometry Global and will oversee the creative output for the MENA region, working primarily with Shell, while offering local support to clients including GE and Jaguar Land Rover, as well as focusing on “the increasing demand from local clients” according to the consultancy.

Platform has redesigned the VIP lounge at the O2 in a £2.6 million project which has seen the Brighton-based consultancy create a look and feel that combines “backstage glamour” with practical needs.

Starapraga has been rebranded by Appartment 103 and relaunches with a new identity and bottle shape, which reflect “a more modern and masculine image” according to  the consultancy.

Holmes & Marchant has created a new look for Brennans bread, which has new red and yellow packaging and is positioned as The Family Bakers.

Design Bridge in Amsterdam has created new packaging for coffee brand Douwe Egberts, which is looking to reconnect with the Dutch market. The Frisian Lady has been given more prominence on pack in a bid to “evoke strong memories of home, togetherness and the aroma of coffee,” according to Design Bridge.

Hennessy has launched a new Very Special Gift Pack, which has been designed by Butterfly Cannon, and is aimed at the Christmas gift market. The consultancy has already redesigned the Very Special and for the gift pack added sparkle, holly and stars.

1DA has designed Mitre Star, an online destination aimed at 18-30 year-old males to help them improve their football skills.  They have already reached 3 million young people according to 1DA and Mitre sales have doubled.

Farrow Creative has designed a new site for the Weald and Downland Museum, which will launch at the end of the month. It will be a responsive site and give users a “modern visitor experience” according to Farrow Creative.

Pantone has joined forces with KAKKOii to produce Qb Pantone, a new Bluetooth micro-speaker range, which “aims to be a treat for eyes and ears”.

Coley Porter Bell has designed the branding and packaging of Chivas Regal Extra, the first expression to be added to the brand’s range of blended scotch whiskies since 2007. The design combines Chivas’s “iconic visual equities” such as the crest label and use of scrolls to hold the brand name says Coley Porter Bell.

Sedley Place has designed a bar for Diageo’s London headquarters 7HQ showcasing the brand’s portfolio of 69 drinks in a new environment for visitors and staff.

Blue Marlin has designed the look for The City of London Distillery’s Square Mile Gin. London’s streets are screen printed directly onto the round bottle reflecting both the premium and historic aspects of brand’s personality the consultancy says.

Fabrica, the communication research centre of the Benetton Group, the company that owns the United Colors of Benetton brand, has developed the creative campaign #IBelong to support UNHCR’s new initiative to end global statelessness.

GP Studio has designed a new concept for Rive Gauche, the second largest beauty retailer in Russia. This new concept has been applied to an 11,00sqft pilot store in Kazan, Russia, which launched this month, and will be developed for further store formats.

Baines&Fricker has designed the interior for “the UK’s first zero-waste restaurnat” Silo with an “ethical and functional” design. All of the materials used in the design are “abundant and readily available”.

R2 Architecture has designed the interiors of Mowgli Street Food on Bold Street Liverpool, matching the Cool, “edgy, twisted, uber-sensory Indian street food” with a Scandinavian influenced interior.

Isobel has created an audacious new campaign for Bordeaux Wines which carries the strapline “The more you look, the more you discover”. Seven different versions of the bottle have been illustrated with designs that pay homage to French poster art from the 1920s or 1930s.