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Famous publicist Robert Zarem, the man behind the “I Love New York” campaign, has died at the age of 84.
Zarem died in his childhood home in Savannah surrounded by close friends and family, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Georgia native was highly regarded in New York City for being the mastermind behind the careers of celebrities such as Cher, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Douglas and Michael Jackson.
The press secretary, who died of lung cancer, was just five years old and turned 85.
Famous publicist Robert Zarem has died aged 84 at his childhood home in Savannah
Zarem left New York in 2010 after a five-decade career as a Big Apple publicist. Zarem has worked for celebrities such as Cher, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Douglas and Michael Jackson
The proudest moment of his career, Zaram said, was the “I Love New York” campaign, which he spent three and a half years working on and which he credited with saving the city.
He said he walked the streets with an introspective mood and thought about the city’s decline as it was plagued by crime and violence in the 1970s.
“I was walking home from Elaine on a Saturday night in 1975 and realized you could throw a quarterback on Second Avenue and there was no one or car to stop it,” he said. stated in an interview with The Hollywood Report.
“The city was in terrible shape, tourists weren’t coming because the crime scene had been grossly exaggerated and the city was slipping into the East River. When I got home that night, I decided that someone needed to do something. And the slogan was there that night, ”he added.
Critic Rex Reed, Sue Mengers and Bobby Zarem attend Danny Kaye conducts the Philharmonic on September 23, 1981 at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center in New York City
Bobby Zarem and Diane Passage attend Diane Passage Moulin Rouge’s birthday party at the Angel Orensanz center in 2006
Bobby Zarem seen on July 25, 1983 at the Elaine restaurant in New York. The proudest moment of his career, Zaram said, was the “I Love New York” campaign, which he spent three and a half years working on and credited with saving the city.
Bobby Zarem during the Andy Warhol Memorial Dinner at the Diamond Horshoe Restaurant in New York City
Zaram then called all the contacts he had and began to launch a campaign to clean up the city’s reputation.
With $ 16 million in funding from the governor’s office, TV commercials and merchandise followed, as the city’s spirits revived and tourism returned.
Zarem acquired his love for the entertainment world at a young age, watching every movie and devouring every magazine he could get his hands on.
Her father, who also suffered from lung cancer, often had to travel to New York City for treatment.
Zarem accompanied his father on frequent trips and the couple stayed at the Waldorf Astoria. Zarem was waiting at the main entrance and collecting autographs from famous guests.
His father passed away at the age of 13, leaving Zarem with great void as his older brother took over the family business. Her two brothers – fashion retailer Jack and plastic surgeon Harvey – are also deceased.
Zarem graduated from Yale in 1958 with a degree in political science, while having a severe case of attention deficit disorder.
Iman and Bobby Zarem at the Peter Beard Opening at the Blum Hobnoon Gallery in New York
Polly Bergen and Bobby Zarem attend Woody Allen’s New Years Eve party on December 31, 1979 at Harkness House in New York City
Bobby Zarem at his Cutting Room Birthday Party on September 29, 2014 in New York City.
He worked in a bank for five years after graduating until he could find a job in the industry. Zarem was hired by the arts agency Columbia Artists Management, where he managed the Macy’s Theater Club account.
The famous publicist, known for his heavy drinking, briefly worked for the marketing agency Rogers & Cowan, but then embarked on the adventure with his own company in 1979. That same year, Zarem played the role of matchmaker after introducing Woody Allen to Mia Farrow.
Zarem was also responsible for promoting Oscar-winning films such as Dancing with Wolves and Shakespeare in love and was in charge of major fundraisers in the city.
In the late ’70s, Zarem was nicknamed “Superflack” after calling Stevie Wonder at his own party for being late.
But ultimately Zarem craves the tranquility of his childhood in Savannah. In 2010, he returned to his hometown and served at the Savannah College of Art until 2014.
Zarem is considered one of New York’s most beloved and successful publicists.
“I have probably learned the most important thing for a publicist to know. Not only can people be guided, but people must be guided, ”he once said.
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