Colin Fielder
Team interview
Can you tell us what you do and what your role is with the awards?
As a designer my role is to create, develop and maintain the PiRA brand and visual look. Ensuring brand continuity across all design aspects of the event. In the run up to the event, I ensure smooth and swift delivery of all design items; liaising with the AV team on the day itself to ensure brand continuity. As a designer, you must be a bit of a jack of all trades, so I can turn my hand to anything!
What makes these awards special?
In a nutshell, these awards are special because they are unique in their recognition and celebration of those retail individuals, initiatives and companies across the UK who go above and beyond and make a difference. On a personal level, it was fantastic to see the PiRA brand come to life and help to enhance the whole experience from a design perspective. Overall, I was overcome by how well the awards night was received and celebrated by all those involved.
What is your favourite retail moment, initiative, or innovation?
As difficult as COVID was for retail, the survival and development of some of those initiatives implemented at the time, has been really inspiring. A great example is linking up food retailers with foodbank charities via an app that enables them to donate food which is just out of date but still safe to eat – so benefiting people in need and at the same time cutting down on food waste- wins my vote.
If you were a retail brand, what would be your unique selling point?
‘Creating the perfect design solution and experience’. I do this by immersing myself in my clients’ world; asking salient questions to ensure I understand their problems and goals and can help them write a good brief. I generate creative ideas, utilise lateral thinking and problem solving and use my art director’s eye for detail and broad knowledge of print and web direction to turn the spark of an idea into an elegant design solution.
Keeping Calm and Carrying on is also a daily mantra!
If you could choose a famous retail mascot or slogan to represent the team what would it be and why?
I would choose the Duracell battery, as like Team TRB, it keeps on going, generating new ideas and campaigns long after others have stopped!
