We’re getting (even more) into the festive spirit with our favourite of the 2011 Christmas lights. Have you seen them all?

1. Carnaby Street
Fashionable favourite Carnaby Street raises the bar with its brilliant, larger than life Christmas decorations. Be sure to pop in to Kingly Court as well – their turnout is understated and gorgeous.

2. St Christopher’s Place
Tucked away behind Selfridges on Oxford Street, the gorgeous disco-esque display at St Christopher’s Place lights up this beautiful corner of the West End.

3. Covent Garden
It’s hard to go past the stunning piazza in the heart of one of London’s most popular shopping districts. This year it’s anchored by an absolutely stunning Christmas tree.

4. Regent Street
One of the biggest, one of the best. Try not to stumble into too many Christmas shoppers as you gaze upwards at the beautiful star-shaped canopies.

5. Duke of York Square, Chelsea
The Christmas tree at the heart of Chelsea’s Duke of York Square is enormous and truly breathtaking.

Feeling festive yet? Why not get out there and see them for yourself?

We’re delighted to present the brand new website for French ski property agent Morzine Immobilier.

The bi-lingual site displays their full property portfolio across rental and sale, image galleries and floor plan for each property, a mortgage calculator as well as interactive maps that plot the property and nearby restaurants, supermarkets, ski lifts and bus routes to help the user decide if the property is right for them. We’ve created custom CRM tools that ensure all their communications are branded, including the ‘send to a friend’ tool.

The site positions Morzine Immobilier as the estate agent of choice in the French Alps. With so many properties, particularly in the rental market, procured sight unseen, clients don’t get a feel for the property and the area until they show up for the start of their holiday. By providing as much information as possible, Morzine enables clients to feel confident about their decision and focus on enjoying their holiday.

With the 2011/12 ski season underway, why not head over and see if you can find the chalet of your dreams?

Our last Underpants/Underrated survey asked what you all thought about new promoted tweets – essentially advertising on Twitter. The result was almost a dead split: 55% don’t like the new feature, which is hardly surprising – who wants more ads?

The real surprise for us was that 45% think they’re a good idea.

The message for us is clear, and it’s one we know well: people are receptive to marketing messages on social media, but if you’re going to do it, you need to do it well.

When you post, make sure you are sharing something of value. Do not use social media as a platform for unilateral marketing noise. Whether it’s a special offer, new and interesting information or valuable content related to your industry, everything you share should be something your followers will benefit from.

Be sure to contribute to the conversation: ask and answer questions, listen to what people are saying and offer insight and information where it’s relevant. Be a valuable part of the community to build a loyal following that remembers and prefers your brand.

Our new poll is now up – what do you think of the new Youtube layout? Have your say here.

Fed up with tinsel, reindeer and Christmas cheer? Fear not, this year there is an alternative!

Bad Santa’s Grotto at Graffik Gallery on Portobello Road is a haven for those who need a break from carols and goodwill to all men. Why not ditch the crowds on Oxford Street and head out to West London for a spot of beatboxing, rapping and street art? Not totally immune to the charms of the season, there’s schnapps, hot chocolate and chestnuts, as well as a mini Christmas market with unusual, street art-influenced gifts.

This Saturday its last opening, so be sure to head down for a different kind of festive spirit!

(And if you’d like something a little more traditional, Santa’s grotto at Duke of York Square off Sloane Square is open right up to Christmas Eve!)

If you’re heading up to Alexandra Palace this winter to catch any of their great music or sports events, chances are you’ll be finding your way around courtesy of signage created here at Underscore Towers.

As the brand guardians for Ally Pally, we’ve been busy creating all sorts of signage for the iconic North London venue, including:
– directional and wayfinding
– promotional
– special events
– road (incorporated with council signage)
– branding

Each adheres to our very own brand guidelines, and has been developed with their very different target audiences in mind.

We’ve also created collateral and digital pieces for many of these events. We can’t wait to get up to the darts next week for an evening of high culture!