What's in a name? A lot, especially if you're a business competing in an ever-changing environment. Savannah natives and business executives Lisa Markowitz Kitchens and Ted Robertson can attest to that, as the two recently announced the merger of Robertson & Markowitz Advertising & Public Relations, Inc. with its sister brand, Robmark Web, to become RobMark - Web • Advertising • PR.

“We decided it was time to re-brand from the inside out,” Markowitz Kitchens explained, “to show that we have everything under one roof. Our in-house team provides everything turnkey for our clients, from advertising and public relations to website development, SEO, digital marketing, social media, and graphic design. We took our own re-branding to heart, from the new name, logo and website to a total interior and exterior refresh of our office, to new collateral materials and so much more,” she added.

To understand what the change means, it all begins with a story. Back in 1990, Markowitz Kitchens and Robertson worked for different companies when they first met at a “Thursday Night Sunset” social event. Eventually, they saw an opportunity to create a different kind of advertising and public relations firm, one that would respect tradition and embrace change, and their company opened its doors as Robertson & Markowitz Advertising & Public Relations, Inc. in September 1990.

Forecasting and keeping up with changes have been important for RobMark’s success, especially when you consider that during the time the company was founded, the Internet was in its infancy, fax machines were often preferred as most companies did not yet have email, social networking meant attending events, and there was no such thing as a smart phone. “It’s been important for us to continue to grow, evolve and master the latest technologies that will ultimately benefit our clients,” Robertson explained, “from SEO to social media campaigns, web design trends to responsive applications, our team stays ahead. When changes are coming, in some cases daily, we need the freshest and brightest to stay on top of things, which is why we have built a diverse team.”

Nearly 27 years ago, the company started as an electronic and print advertising and public relations firm. As the times changed, more media options continually became available, such as cable TV, the Internet, digital advertising, Google AdWords, and social media.  “We jumped into web development in 2008 to collectively serve our clients rather than outsourcing those services. This was a positive turning point for our company as no one else in this area was providing all of these services with one team. More importantly, we were—and are—able to provide a better return on investment for our clients,” Markowitz Kitchens said.

Starting out small with just two employees—themselves—Markowitz Kitchens and Robertson controlled expenses, operating at first with a phone line, fax machine and something called a typewriter in a small rental space. They grew the company steadily, first adding a media buyer, then a graphic designer, doubling the size of the company by the end of the first year.  “We started bringing in larger clients such as Comcast and Carson Products, which required us to further grow our team and purchase our own office space,” Robertson explained.

Today, RobMark continues to be based in Savannah and has team members located in Chicago, Detroit and Myrtle Beach that help the company better service its geographically and industrially-diverse clientele. Over the years, RobMark has served corporate and non-profit clients such as Revlon Professional Brands, multiple automotive clients from Florida to North Carolina including the Critz Auto Group, Elan Technology, logistics firms such as DSI, StayInSavannah.com, Rayonier, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, Image Hotels, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Chatham Orthopaedic Associates, Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, Benedictine Military School, and the PGA's Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf.

RobMark’s work has won numerous regional and national awards and recognition such as Telly Awards, American Advertising Federation’s ADDY Awards, Silver Microphone, American Graphic Design Awards, and the international MarCom. “While we are honored with this recognition, we aren’t sitting still and resting on our laurels. We continue to move forward, keeping our team researching and developing new ideas and technology, and employing young talent as well as the more experienced types like us,” Markowitz Kitchens and Robertson both agreed, adding “years from now, we want our company to continue to succeed and enjoy the reputation that we have worked hard to build and maintain.”