A couple of weeks ago, I touched on the whole debate about the value we place on design with the trend for inviting consumers to help us design expressions of brands. But, as the trend for creative partnerships takes hold in all its forms, the one that is probably the hardest to get right is the trend for brand and brand/designer collaborations.

And I think it is timely to ask the fundamental question, ‘what does the company you keep really say about you?’

Champagne brand Perrier-Jouet has been promoting the fact that it has invited Rie Rasmussen — a Danish fashion model, designer and artist —  to become its muse for a new campaign. I have read the press release and seen the visuals about the new campaign and it is somewhat confusing. The motto for the campaign is an Oscar Wilde quote — “Beauty is a form of genius”. And, it would seem, that the champagne brand is harnessing the genius of Rasmussen to create artistic impressions (from a set of three watercolours she has painted) to be used in the design of a limited edition bottle. It is claimed that Rasmussen ‘can depict the sensitive and artistic soul of the brand’.

Whilst the bottle is very different and pretty, it begs the question what is it really adding to the perception of the brand? And, actually, with the confusing title and positioning of Rasmussen’s role, there is actually a very real danger of diluting and fragmenting the true brand message and its premium status and exclusivity. This luxury brand has tried to place a value on design by aligning with a high-profile creative from another discipline.  But, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. This collaboration is very much about mixing up styles and bolting on credibility in a one-off creative campaign rather than finding a way to consistently integrate creativity into the brand.

In contrast, Absolut is also in the design news this week, previewing its new Absolut 100 limited edition with an ‘outfit’ designed by German couture designer Philipp Plein. Not only is the gothic, Swarovski crystal inspired design a perfect fit with the Absolut 100 profile but is for Plein an extension of his new collection of (put very simply and in layman terms) ‘black and bling’ inspired shoes and bags. And, just one in a line of frequent creative collaborations between Absolut and leading artists, designers and photographers.

It comes down to credibility and who does it well. You can borrow credibility or, as with Absolut, you can consistently integrate it – and evolve with it.  It’s about refining creative input and creating focused moments around the brand and how you use creativity, and particularly design, to help create a positive statement that can create long-term desire rather than short-lived fun.

But, above all, we should be helping promote the message that it takes all sorts of design working in harmony to maximize the ultimate creative expression.  We need to be magnanimous about what’s needed and encourage brands to embrace and invest in experts, celebrities and designers from other disciplines to work alongside us, the traditional designers, and keep us in good company.

Jonathan Ford, Creative Partner Pearlfisher