Elaine Knowles is head of marketing for 123.ie and RSA. She has built a new brand positioning and a campaign called ‘Give Better a Try’. She was previously business director for In the Company of Huskies and was part of the brand team at Telefonica’s O2 for 11 years. When not playing tennis, she tries to turn complex business challenges into effective communications that don’t ask too much from consumers.
01 What was your earliest ambition?
To be an astronaut. Didn’t work out though
02 It’s our round. What are you having?
Gin ‘n’ tonic
03 Social media platform of choice?
04 A mentor or someone that inspired you?
My dad, Gerry Knowles
05 If you could be born into another time and place, where and when would it be?
Somewhere much warmer and in the future
06 Favourite writers?
Louis de Bernières
07 A film you’d watch again tonight?
Fight Club
08 Is there an unsung hero you’d like to thank?
My family. All of them
09 Something that no longer happens that you miss?
Impromptu after-work drinks
10 Desert island pet: Dog or cat?
Cat
11 Favourite ad?
The priority tickets ads we did in O2. Really different as at the time we weren’t selling anything, just giving good stuff back
12 Are you an early adopter? What’s new?
I’d like to think so. There’s an amazing site now that you can view houses in 3D called Matterport.com. You can move from floor plans to images and walk around the house. Most impressive
13 A brand to which you feel some loyalty?
Revolut – they’ve surprised me and it works
14 Someone you might be starstruck to meet?
Any Hollywood A-Lister
15 Something that recently brought a tear to your eye?
The wind
16 Something that recently got your goat?
I rant all the time. It’s too long a list
17 What would be your fantasy act of heroism?
Standing up to any bullies of any age
18 You’ve won the Euromillions and disappeared. Where might we find you?
Somewhere warm, with impromptu after-work drinks
19 Someone or something that strikes you as beautiful?
Some sea views in Ireland
20 ‘Here lies Elaine Knowles’. Complete your epitaph…
A little left of the middle
