Exploring New Ways to Promote: Richard Rabinowitz and R2 Rainmaker Marketing 
by Jon Sienkiewicz
We sell wonderful products that improve people's lives and bring happiness and satisfaction to millions--products that are instrumental in preserving personal human history. However, we sometimes lack marketing imagination. We're an industry that has basically relied on price wars and technological innovation--and not much else--to attract new consumers. I realize that I am painting with a broad brush. There are many retailers and manufacturers who do exciting things. But I cannot say that the majority do. In any case, the photographic industry needs a few new ideas. Therefor, it comes as good news that a new company--R2 Rainmaker Marketing--will be exploring new ways to promote.
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Rabinowitz with his wife, Jill Enfield, award winning professional photographer
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It takes more than big ideas, however. It takes the ability to deliver. Less than one week after 9/11, the members the Japanese American Association of New York launched a campaign to raise money for the Twin Towers Victim's Fund. Their goal was to collect $50,000 by October 30, 2001 and deliver it to then mayor Rudolph Giuliani. It was an ambitious goal: the majority of JAA's members of modest means; many hold "green cards" and work as employees in restaurants and other businesses.
To the surprise of all, they raised more than $500,000. But the bigger surprise was the difficulty they faced when they tried to deliver the money to the charity. Sam (Sadahei) Kusumoto, honorary president of JAA and chairman emeritus of the Minolta Corporation, spearheaded the efforts. After several futile attempts to contact the mayor he turned to the one man he knew could deliver--literally as well as figuratively: Richard Rabinowitz. Shortly thereafter, a meeting was arranged and the half-million dollar check was in the right hands. The check presentation ceremony was held in the mayor's office just minutes before he delivered his farewell speech to the people of New York City.
A Gathering Force
For Richard Rabinowitz, bringing people together has been more than just an occasional accomplishment--it's been his life's work. After more thatn 22 years in the magazine publishing game, most recently spent as vice president and group publisher at Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., he's off on his own, embarking on a new adventure but still moving in the same direction--bringing manufacturers, retailers and consumers together. To put legs under his new business he's drawing upon his long experience of serving as a catalyst between print, boradcast and interactive media on one side, wholesalers and resellers on the other, and a whole world of celebrities, live events and relationship marketing in the middle.
Richard Rabinowitz is a rainmaker in the classic sense. He sees the whole picture as well as the separate parts, gauges the potential for success and then brings the pieces together to make things happen. While at Hachette he conceived and launched the Mentor Series and Photo Treks. He's not an armchair quarterback, as anyone who was involved will quickly tell you. Rabinowitz rolled up his sleeves and did whatever was neccessary to make the projects work. The Digital Days seminars, for example, spanned 24 weekends in as many cites and put Sony and Adobe products in front of hundreds of highly motivated consumers. Ritz Camera Centers was a retail partner.
"I like doing projects with Richard," says David Ritz. "He's not only smart and creative--more than most people I know--but once you shake hands he comes through every time, no matter what obstacles come up."
"I enjoy working with retailers," Rabinowitz explains. "The retail part of the business world is more personal and more real. It's what built this country--people working hard to establish their own business."
Creative Solutions, Attractive Promotions
This isn't the first time he's parlayed his understanding of the relationships between retailers and consumers into a business venture. Once previously, while on a two-year hiatus from his position as vice president, associate publisher of Elle Magazine, another Hachette publication, he launched an enterprise that brought the readers of Elle together with 200 upscale retailers who were involved in lady's fashion, jewelry and similar niches. His firm produced a series of multipage advertorials called "All About Town."
"'All About Town' was all about generating business," says Rabinowitz, who wrote the editorial-style ad copy and even did most of the photography himself. The pages highlighted upscale merchants located in major cities across the U.S. The retailers attracted phone orders and business from travelers who were visiting their locations from elsewhere in the country. That successful experience is what motivated him to embark upon his latest business venture.
More recently Rabinowitz was able to help create a successful live event for Sony by drawing upon his extensive reservoir of resources. It started when he learned that Sony's research concluded that their ultra-luxurious Qualia product line appealed most strongly to folks who also appreciated such diverse attractions as auto racing, hip-hop music, theatre, architecture and watching television. Richard returned to the Sony executives with consents to participate from Mario Andretti, Broadway's Joel Grey, Grammy Award winner Usher, Academy Award winning film director David Jones and actor Kyle MacLachlan. Needless to say, the celebration at Sony's Madison Avenue retail store was a colossal success. The event earned a personal expression of gratitude from Sir Howard Stringer, who appered to host the opening night of the exhibition in NYC.
Not every promotion can include an all-star cast, to be sure. The important point is there's always room for creative solutions and attractive promotions. Sometimes all that's required is a catalyst to incite the desired reaction. That's exactly what Richard Rabinowitz's new business intends to do--provide retailers and manufacturers with the materials they need to create successful promotions. Success is nothing new to the man who is only a thesis away from a doctorate in clinical psychology. That's right--they call it "all but thesis," and if things had gone differently, perhaps today he would be counseling psychopaths instead of constructing marketing strategies. Instead Rabinowitz is leveraging his reputation for being a capable, creative and committed entrepreneur. His new business aim to bring manufacturers, retailers and consumers together like dry tinder, so that the sparks of commerce can fly.
As a matter of fact, he has already launched one project that will surface within the next few weeks. It centers on the work of some of the world's most accomplished photographers. One famous photographer Rabinowitz frequently works with is Mark Seliger, internationally known for his evocative books of portraiture as well as his features in high-profile magazines such as Vanity Fair, GQ and Rolling Stone. Seliger also served as chief photographer at Rolling Stone for 20 years.
Richard Rabinowitz is a rainmaker in the classic sense: bringing manufacturers, retailers and consumers together.
"Richard is not just a business type but also a creative type," says Seliger. "He works very well with professional photographers. We receive lots of proposals, but Richard's are always well crafted and well executed. If he assures me that I can be comfortable about getting involved without complications, he is always right. He's not just in it for the short haul, and I trust him completely. One can't always say that in this world."
Richard Darrow, president of ToCAD agrees. "I've known Richard Rabinowitz for many years. He's fun to work with, delivers what he promises and possesses a level of integrity and honesty that's rare. Whatever his next project is, I'm in."
R2 Rainmaker Marketing and Richard Rabinowitz can be reached at (212) 979-5457 or by visiting www.R2Rainmaker.com or emailing info@R2Rainmaker.com.
Focus on Travel
Hachette joins Holiday with photo properties
by Karen Hudes
Heightening the synergy between travel and photography advertising, Hachette Filipacchi is incorporating Travel Holiday, which it acquired from The Reader's Digest Association in March 1996 into the publishing group of American Photo (circ. 254,000) and Popular Photography (circ. 459,000).
Travel Holiday, with a circulation of 575,000, trails Conde Nast Traveler (circ. 805,000) and American Express' Travel & Leisure (circ. 990,000). However, TH's association with the photo books, and with the travel-related partnerships they have sponsored, could help to enhance its position in the category.
All in one: Singapore Tourism’s ad includes a photo contest and a prize trip.
Richard Rabinowitz, vice president, group publisher, has headed up both of the photo titles since 1992. Before moving on to other Hachette projects, Rabinowitz had previously served as the book's associate publisher in 1986. The March 1997 issue of Travel Holiday is the first to be published under Rabinowitz' group charge. Sharri Jurmain remains vice president, publisher of the title.
Rabinowitz says the association is founded on the premise that "the camera purchaser is also a travel purchaser, and the travel purchaser is also a camera purchaser." Hachette's photo books alone have have sponsored special travel partnerships for years. In 1993-94, the photo books sponsored travel/photo television specials on ESPN, and since 1995, the books have deepened their relationships with travel accounts through programs that appeared on the Travel Channel, accompanied by promotional advertorials in the magazine.
For example, Rabinowitz says that for one of the half-hour programs, called "Freeze Frame," Popular Photography sent a photographer with a Pentax camera and Agfa film to Hawaii. In the second installment of "Freeze Frame," a Sony videographer was sent to Tahiti. To publicize the shows the magazine produces a four-page advertorial section, the cost of which is shared by all sponsors involved and feature images from the locale and scheduling information. As for the shows, the photographer explores the landscape and presents tips on how to take better photos.
Additionally, some cross-promotional events provide camera discounts to those readers who purchase certain travel packages. Also to the advantage of the camera and film manufacturers, all photos featured in the promotional sections are accompanied by details on the types of camera, lens, film and shooting techniques responsible for the image.
Reader contests and live events have also served as components of the join promotions. In March, 1966 American Photo ran a contest sponsored by Nikon and the Wyoming Board of Tourism revolving around the state's tagline "Like No Place On Earth." In July 1996 American Photo and Popular Photogarphy worked with Hyatt and Marriott, along with Minolta and Konica, in Kauai to provide photo instruction tours to guests. Travel Holiday will promote a similar New Orleans program in its May issue, publicizing a week of free photo instructions/walking tours organized by 12 of the city's hotels this August. Rabinowitz says he expects the program to round up 5,000 attendees.
The Singapore Tourist Promotion Board, touting a photo contest and prize trip, will begin a series of ad installments in all three May issues, as well. Charles Leong, senior vice president, Americas, for the Singapore Board, says his company has worked in the past with Travel Holiday, but not with the photo books. he says that TH's link to other Hachette books opens up the extension of Singapore's "New Asia" branding promotion.
Rabinowitz says he will look to involve different types of accounts in upcoming joint promotions. Some categories he sees as naturals--especially for involvement in the live-event tie-ins-- are automotive, fashion, credit cards, walking shoes and bottled water.
Jerry Grossman, general manager of communications at Nikon, saysz that Hachette understands how to serve the "cross-pollination" of the travel and photo categories. In its participation in the advertorial partnerships, Grossman says that Nikon gets "a very good bang for the buck."
Adds Bill Duggan, vice president, management supervisor at Grey Advertising, who oversees the Canon account, "It's a value-added piece that makes sense."
As Hachette regroups the title, the magazine is also being positioned within the travel category to represent "Real Places for Real People." Rich Melin, media director at Cramer-Krasselt, says, "Travel Holiday is trying to capture the practical travel position, but I don't know if it's a practical position." He thinks that the product looks better than it did years ago, but does not think the look communicates the magazine's approach to consumers.
TakeGreatPictures.com: Internet Inspiration Is Good for the Industry 
Woodbury, NY— Now that point-and-shoot digital cameras have permeated the mass market, capturing hearts and minds around the world, imaging industry leaders are banking on consumer-oriented websites to encourage amateurs to step up to the next level—the more capable, complex and costly digital SLR.
Stacie Errera, president of the PhotoImaging Manufacturers & Distributors Association (PMDA), credited the industry’s fast-growing website, TakeGreatPictures. com, for stimulating satisfaction with photography while prompting consumers to upgrade equipment and skills.
“At a moment when so many people are making the transition from point and shoot to digital SLRs, consumers have a real hunger for reliable, free information about what they can do with all the new power and capability in their hands,” Errera said. “Websites like TakeGreatPictures, which offer information, instruction and inspiration, respond to that need. They help the industry by making people more satisfied with their digital camera purchase and more likely to increase their involvement with photography.”
TakeGreatPictures.com (TGP) was founded at the beginning of the digital boom by veteran PMDA board member Richard Rabinowitz and webmaster Bill Indursky. The popular nonprofit site, created and maintained by the PhotoImaging Information Council, now offers a wide range of content designed to inspire snapshooters, advanced amateurs and prosumers. There are how-to articles, photo-tour tips, profiles of master photographers and talented amateurs, contests to build community participation, a scrapbooking section and stories about picture-taking celebrities such as Tyra Banks, Jeff Bridges and Rudi Guilliani—all arranged in an easy-to-navigate format with links to major manufacturers, distributors and the PMA.
Recent investment in building traffic has caused site traffic to double, with the expectation of doubling again in the next six months. Mike Zeiler, the hardworking managing editor of TGP, also puts out an electronic newsletter that goes to thousands of visitors. “The newsletter has become a valuable market research tool for the industry,” said Zeiler, “enabling sponsors to submit consumer behavior questions, which we answer with quick turnaround.”
The incoming president of the PMDA, Matt Knickerbocker, believes that TakeGreatPictures is one of the only comprehensive sites where consumers can find access to all things photographic. “We’ve worked very hard to make it a good value to the consumer, a one-stop information portal where it’s easy and enjoyable for people to find what they need. It performs a critical function for our industry.”
Knickerbocker cited research showing that a growing number of people “pre-shop” on the Web before making any big-ticket purchase, and the higher the price of the item, the more likely the consumer is to seek advice on the Internet.
Providing unbiased information is one of the strong points of TakeGreatPictures, according to Gary Pageau, a PMA spokesman and publisher, who regularly contributes research columns. “Consumers can trust the information because it represents the industry as a whole. We have sponsors but it’s not a sales environment for particular companies or brands. It’s just a good place to learn more about how to enhance your own enjoyment of photography. We’re fortunate to be an industry that provides consumers with a great deal of enjoyment, and we have to get that message out. The camera is not just another device to carry on your belt or in your pocket. It’s really a way to express yourself and communicate your personal vision of the world.”
That message seems to be getting across in a big way, because industry research shows that the transition to digital has produced a tremendous surge in consumer satisfaction with photography. “Our statistics show that consumer satisfaction with photography has never been higher, and the more consumers enjoy photography, the greater their activity,” said Ted Fox, executive director of PMA. “A lot of what we’re trying to do on TakeGreatPictures is to build that sense of personal enjoyment, which is something I experience myself, as an amateur using my own digital SLR.”
Site cofounder Richard Rabinowitz thinks this is only the beginning. “I remember when TGP came out with its first article,” he said. “Today, visitors can browse through more than 1,000 articles on TGP. We’ve gotten great coverage in mainstream media, and we’re excited about growing with the industry in 2007 and beyond.”
Reprinted from: http://www.photoreporter.com:80/article.asp?issueID=&num=21&vol=14&articleType=n&articleID=1167 |
