TD Talk with Mark Gutjahr

DesignPF is pleased to welcome Mark Gutjahr, Global Head of Design / Coatings Color and Design at BASF Coatings, for a talk!

 'Automotive color is not “picked” — it is researched, modeled, validated, and industrialized across a connected digital-to-physical pipeline. Our work links trend intelligence with measurable color performance: from global insights on how preferences shift by region, to the precise translation of these signals into production-ready coatings.

In the digital age, we accelerate this journey by using advanced visualization and virtual evaluation—enabling designers to assess complex effects early, compare variants systematically, and align faster across design and lab before physical spraying begins.

Platforms such as AUROOM® – Automotive colors in the virtual world make colors virtually tangible “with all their features and effects” and explicitly aim to speed up and streamline the development process, while still respecting the moment that matters: a final physical validation.

As a market-leading force in automotive color trend work, HERE FOR TRENDS positions AUTOMOTIVE COLOR TRENDS® as “built on world leadership in state-of-the-art color and coatings technology,” transforming independent trend research into influential, OEM-relevant color concepts.

For students working with color and materials, this talk demonstrates how digital tools do not replace craftsmanship—they shorten iteration cycles, improve decision-making, and help the next generation bring color from research into real-world mobility, faster and with greater confidence. We’ll share insights into the research, the translation, and our work with clients.

May 21, 5:30 p.m., Aula
School of Design, Pforzheim University

– open to anyone interested!