Editor’s note: This interview with Joe Rockhill runs to 5:30. In the rest of the video, Team Rubicon’s Michael Lloyd provides an overview from Isabella, Puerto Rico.
MIAMI – There are only so many first responders in a particular city or an entire country to deal with natural disasters like Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. This is where groups like Team Rubicon, an organization of military veterans, play a key role.
Brands that partner with Team Rubicon and other volunteer groups via sponsorships, donations or providing “boots on the ground” in disaster areas are “not just selling a product. You’re creating an aura about your brand and helping bring that to light in a very human way,” says Joe Rockhill, VP, Integrated Sales & Marketing, Fox Networks Group.
In this interview with Beet.TV, Rockhill explains how Fox wants to foster greater integrations between brand marketers and relief groups by creating a “groundbreaking docuseries” of original programming highlighting the activities of Team Rubicon. Following the interview with Rockhill, Team Rubicon Operations Section Leader Michael Lloyd provides a ground-level report on the group’s relief efforts to date in Isabella, a municipality in the northwest region of Puerto Rico.
Led by award-winning director Keif Davidson, Fox’s series about Team Rubicon will appear on Fox Broadcasting, FX, Fox Sports and National Geographic and will “live in culturally relevant programming and time periods,” such as The Long Road Home on National Geographic, Veteran’s Day initiatives and takeovers on FX, as well as programming like the Daytona 500, The World Series, Thanksgiving and Christmas on Fox Sports.
“Ultimately, the idea is that it would culminate in a 90-minute documentary that would live on our portfolio and air around Memorial Day of next year,” Rockhill says.
Fox is meeting with brands to see how they can “come on board and help tell the story of the men and women that are part of Team Rubicon, the heroes that are helping to rebuild these communities,” Rockhill says. “We want to understand what the initiatives are that our partners have and then find that alignment with what we’re doing with Team Rubicon so we can integrate them appropriately.”
Team Rubicon’s Lloyd relates how the organization has had a presence in Isabella for more than a month, providing medical care, clearing debris and helping to facilitate the availability of drinking water.
“Our medical teams have seen hundreds of patients,” Lloyd recounts. “In some cases just providing some mental health care as well.
“I think where our passion comes from is we’ve had a good opportunity to get to know the people and really experience what they’re going through on a personal level. The devastation on the island is complete. It’s an austere environment. It’s been one of the most gratifying Team Rubicon experiences that I’ve ever had.”
Stand With Puerto, The Industry Steps Up
This video reports on the pressing issues facing Puerto Rico and the organizations that are having an impact. It is part of a media industry initiative titled Stand With Puerto Rico. It is organized by Beet.TV and Omnicom Media Group along with founding partners AT&T AdWorks and Teads. Please find additional videos from the series here. The series was recorded in Miami at the Festival of Media/LATAM on October 30.
