Spotlight: Elaine Cheedle
Markers:
Yeah, but can she two-step?
Elaine Cheedle grew up in the dry plains of West Texas and attended the University of Texas in Austin, where she majored in advertising and envisioned a career, as she says, “casting commercials.” But then a great prof and a plethora of media jobs shifted her compass heading.
Elaine broke in with Bozell in Dallas on the American Airlines account. Moving to what is now Publicis, she spent 13 years working primarily with packaged goods accounts including helping to pitch and win the $400MM+ US Nestlé media planning business, after which she oversaw the Dallas Nestle team, working on all Purina and beverage brands.
Looking for a different perspective, she moved to the client side with Cadbury Schweppes. The best part, Elaine says, was “working with brands that embraced personality, like Snapple, Mott’s, Sour Patch Kids and Trident Gum.”
Elaine believes a true communications plan rests on ownable insights and a core idea that stems from those insights. Only then can creative partnerships bring the idea to life.
Family:
Elaine’s husband, Tom, is a freelance commercial photographer, “a wonderful Mr. Mom and a quiet, witty guy” looking to build a creative niche in North Carolina. The kids? Catherine, 6, is laid back, curious with a silly streak. Lauren, 1+, is smiley and “rough and tumble.”
Passions:
When she’s not thinking about media strategies, Elaine says she’d like to change the nursing home industry “before our parents or we, ourselves, get there.” She’s also loves house hunting, these days, and spending time with the girls.
Words:
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angélou
