Clarity the hi-fi industry trade association, honoured Andy Giles during the Hi-Fi Industry Conference on 20th March, bestowing its Honorary Fellowship award on the hugely respected and renowned PR consultant.
Clarity, the UK hi-fi trade association, undertakes to recognise individuals who have made a significant contribution to the industry. The seventh annual Honorary Fellowship was awarded to one of the most respected members of the UK industry, Andy Giles, PR consultant to some of the biggest brands in hi-fi, including KEF, Meridian, NAD and many others.
Presenting the award, Clarity’s operations director, Phil Hansen, said, “For those of you who have been in the industry for a while, you’ll be in no doubt that this year’s recipient is a very worthy winner. And, if you ever worked for KEF, Meridian, Tivoli, Loewe or Monster or any one of countless other brands, you’ll have benefited from the consummate expertise and professionalism demonstrated by this year’s winner in helping keeping these brands right in the forefront of the minds of consumers.
“His enchanting personality, passion and enthusiasm, and his huge contribution to the life ot British hi-fi make him the rightful recipient of the Clarity Honorary Fellowship, for an outstanding contribution to the UK hi-fi industry."
Sadly Andy couldn’t be at the presentation, but had kindly prepared these words in advance: “‘For those of you who have not heard of me (how dare you) I first fell into our industry in around 1974 – yes, that long ago – when I sort of ‘quit’ the rock journalist/Music PR-man, life and went ‘clean’ (well, in most respects); if I started on about Zeppelin gigs and back-stage press-events we’d be here all day! As a music journalist I wrote for New Musical Express, Sounds and Rolling Stone. I was a member of the official Press Office for UK rock band Led Zeppelin during the early 1970s.
“I’m going to begin where everybody else normally begins when accepting such a cool award – with thanks and indiscriminate use of the word ‘honoured’ – but the difference is I really mean it!
“I am genuinely delighted and honoured to have been this year’s recipient of the Clarity 2023 Honorary Fellowship Award for an Outstanding Contribution to the UK HiFi Industry. I thank all who voted for me – I am privileged and flattered.”
