Category: Portfolio

When Joe Harowitz died in late 2018 at the ripe age of 98, he left behind a legion of admirers at Beth Sholom Village where the Richmond native and longtime Hampton Roads resident lived out the last years of his life.

But that wasn’t all.

When staff cleared out Joe’s room, they found four composition books filled with poems, many of which Joe himself had composed in the 1940’s, before, during and after World War II.

Joel Rubin happened to be in the social work director’s office a few weeks later when she showed him the poems, many of which were quite romantic in nature, odd it seemed for a man who never married. “Apparently Joe was a confirmed bachelor, but I learned he was still quite a ladies man in his youth, and the poetry certainly indicated that he longed for a mate,” said Joel. “His niece later told me Joe didn’t want to burden a wife with his emphysema so he stayed single for life.” Ironically, Joe Harowitz, who worked in auto parts for 25 years but never had a driver’s license, probably outlived every woman he ever met.

Joel told the staff that he was confident he could convince a reporter for The Virginian-Pilot to write a story about Joe for Valentine’s Day. The newspaper agreed, and Katherine Hafner came to Beth Sholom, interviewed the niece and staff members and published a beautiful profile, complete with excerpts of Joe’s verses….on February 14.

Timing is everything when it comes to media relations. But so is creativity and relationships, which Rubin Communications Group put to work on behalf of client Beth Sholom Village.

The Mulrain family arrives in style.

A homecoming parade came to Chesapeake on Saturday, March 30, 2019 but not the kind you might expect.

That’s because members of the Porsche Club of America – First Settlers Region drove 20 Porsche sport cars up and down Marcus Street in the Crestwood area of Chesapeake to celebrate the Mulrain family as new homeowners through Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads.

Once the Rubin Communications Group team learned about the Porsche Club’s involvement, we knew we had a golden media opportunity. We put out the word to our contacts at the TV news stations and newspapers and the response was immediate.

We landed coverage from the local newspaper and received mentions seven times on local TV news:

  • The Virginian-Pilot
  • WTKR NewsChannel 3 (CBS affiliate) and its sister station WGNT
  • WVEC Channel 13 (ABC affiliate)

For the past four years, Rubin Communications has been the PR arm for the greatest annual educational event in Hampton Roads: ACCESS College Foundation’s “College Commitment Day.” The entire RCG staff worked the event!

CCD gathers Southside and Northampton County high school seniors (more than 2,000!) to celebrate their college acceptances in a BIG way. Z104’s Shaggy emcees the event and Access Staff and sponsors award surprise scholarships to deserving students. The 2019 scholarship total was $30,000!

Held on April 30 at the Ted Constant Convocation Center, the seniors wore matching lime green shirts and danced and cheered through the entire hour-long ceremony. It made for great pictures and video for reporters and Creative Director Jessica Davenport couldn’t have asked for better coverage.

“From Bonnie’s live interview with Coast Live before the event began to the cover story and photo in the Suffolk News Herald the next day, I am so pleased with media interest this year,” says Davenport. “CCD never disappoints!”

The event was covered on WVEC, WAVY, WTKR, The Virginian-Pilot and Suffolk News Herald!