Being Meyera Oberndorf’s “confidante,” as Kerry Dougherty over-described me in The Virginian-Pilot, did have its perks. It gave me access not just to what was happening in her unique life, and how she somehow managed to keep it altogether, but also what it took to be a political survivor in a city that was used to not having a mayor for four consecutive years, much less five consecutive terms.
Tag: public relations
Jessica Bensten, Creative Director
Tell us about your personal life.
I’ve been married almost ten years to my husband, Everett, who is a lawyer in the Hampton City Attorney’s office. We have two kids, Jackson (7) and Abby (3), who keep me very busy! Both sides of our family live on the Peninsula so we are blessed with an amazing support system. That’s actually how my husband and I met – our grandparents lived across the street from each other for 50 years!
Jessica’s staff photo from 2005.
How long have you been at RCG?
My ten-year anniversary is coming up in October. I came to RCG as a newlywed after my first post-college job and started as an account manager. I had also studied graphics as well as journalism and PR while at JMU, so I slowly started handling a few design projects here or there when I wasn’t doing media relations. My job eventually evolved into creative director.
What do you love about creative services?
I love the process. There’s something so fulfilling about taking a client’s communication need and coming up with a creative solution from concept to design and execution. We work with some pretty spectacular Hampton Roads businesses and nonprofits so it makes me proud to see our hard work turn into a successful website, ad, brochure, annual report or billboard.
What’s a memorable project that sticks out to you? And why does it stand out?
That’s a really hard question. How do you narrow down ten years of work? If I had to choose something a little more recent, I’d probably say the 20-page magazine insert I designed last year for the Virginia Dental Association Foundation’s MOM project. It was the organization’s 15th anniversary and we worked hard to come up with a way to highlight the past, present and future of the organization. Over the years, the foundation have donated millions of dollars of free dental care to Virginians and I wanted to do that gift justice. I really think we did — we got multiple compliments on the finished product!
How has creatives services changed since you began at RCG? What has stayed the same?
When I first began at RCG, I did mostly public and media relations, which means we outsourced the majority of our graphic design work. Digital printing was just gaining ground in our region, so we used mainly offset printers. If someone needed artwork that was too large to email, we burned a CD. Even our video equipment wasn’t digital! (This is starting to make me sound old)
What hasn’t changed? The quality of our work and the attention to detail. We work faster by having a designer right here in the office, plus turnaround times at the printer are quicker than they used to be.
What’s the best piece of advice you give people about design as it relates to marketing?
An open line of communication is key to good design. It is difficult to sit down with a client and gain an accurate assessment of their design needs if all they tell me is to “just make it pretty.” My best advice is to have samples of design work you like, have colors in mind and finish your copy writing before you start on a project. And, know who your audience is…we can take it from there.
What do you do outside of work?
I’m very active at CHKD because both of my kids were treated there. Jackson was diagnosed at one with a childhood cancer called Neuroblastoma, and will be in remission for five years at the end of this month! That is so hard to believe. Abby was born prematurely and spent four months in the NICU. Naturally, I want to give back. This is my third year serving on the NICU Family Advisory Council and I am also on the inaugural hospital-wide Advisory Council formed this year.
In addition to my volunteer work, I started a blog called “Mothering Miracles” last July to be a resource for other families going through health issues. I honestly thought it would just be my mom and dad reading it, but my articles have been published on the Huffington Post over a dozen times, as well as other major online news sites. Some of my favorites are 10 Reasons Preemies Are Rockstars, 20 Things a Cancer Mom Knows By Heart and Never Second Guess a Second Opinion.
What’s it been like to work with Joel for all these years? And you’re STILL sane?
I have no idea how I haven’t been institutionalized by now! All kidding aside, Joel and Sara Jo have been wonderful employers, and our team works really well together. The Rubins foster a creative, collaborative environment and these ten years have gone by in a flash.
As they say: time flies when you’re having fun.
The Virginia Dental Association (VDA) and its foundation had a big week of statewide press coverage February 23-27.
by Danny Rubin
You might be thinking: how do I land my company in the news?
Sometimes the answer sits on the calendar. An editorial calendar, that is.
In every room around our office, you’ll see the RCG logo.
It’s on our business cards, letterhead and envelopes. If you dig deep into our supply closet, you’d find the logo on notepads, folders, thank you cards, polo shirts and probably a magnetic nametag or two.
Today’s post is the first in our “Meet the Team” series. We’re shining the spotlight on our newest employee, Account Manager Jennifer Hill, who comes all the way from New York City!
Not every story has a deadline of today.
It’s often hard to tell clients that the media will (hopefully) get something on the air or in print eventually, particularly when bosses or board members breath down their necks. (more…)
By: Jessica Bensten
Here’s a humorous look at graphic design, and why your business should be using a professional for marketing and public relations materials.
- Just because Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Publisher allow you to design, doesn’t mean you should. Put the textbox down.
- Professional designers can help you avoid pitfalls with a printer. Ever had the most beautiful royal blue artwork come back as a purple brochure? We know what to do.
- Give your ideas to a designer, and they can morph into something even better than you imagined.
- The shelf life of a good piece makes the investment worth it.
- People can tell the difference. Get a nice brochure in the mail? You’ll stop and look at it. Drive by a catchy billboard? You’ll chuckle and remember. And when your professional, polished ad sits beside an amateur one in the newspaper, people take notice.
- Sometimes it’s hard to tell the resolution of a photo until it’s too late. That’s not the case when you work with professionals – they know what 300 dpi looks like.
- You’ll be proud of the artwork. Instead of making excuses when you lay down the business card printed at home and apologizing that you don’t have “real cards” done yet…you’ll get compliments.
- When a charity asks you to forward a vector version of your logo to put on a banner or a high res PDF of the most recent ad…you’ll actually have all those things!
- When it comes to business, most people judge the book by its cover. Make sure people judge your marketing (i.e. website, brochure, logo, ads, etc.) in favorable light.
- We’ve been doing graphic design a long time. Just trust us.
For more information on how to get started with our professional creative team, call us at 456-5212 or RCG Creative Services Director Jessica Bensten at jessica@rubincommunications.com.
Below is a recent blog post from News To Live By, the website written by RCG Vice President Danny Rubin. News To Live By highlights the career advice “hidden” in the headlines.
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“New Year, New You” is not just about eating more salads and hitting the gym. Okay, for me it is, but this “fresh start” mentality goes for big companies too. Every new year brings new opportunities for brands to re-invent themselves and increase sales. McDonald’s is no exception. The fast food chain announced a “brand transformation,” changing its philosophy on how the company reaches and communicates with customers.
