The rise and fall of Israeli PR king Rani Rahav
Public relations powerhouse Rani Rahav has represented most of Israel's rich and famous, until becoming himself the product he sells: a symbol of a society who cares little for the poor and cherishes fast money.
Despite his lack of appeal and charisma, he became the country’s undisputed king of public relations and advertising. There isn’t a single significant event in the business world that doesn't have his fingerprints all over it. There are no business celebrations and no directors’ cocktail parties where his massive presence is not felt. He is considered to be close friends with everyone who's anyone in Israel, or more precisely, with all the people with wealth and power. He was intimate with the Rabins when Yitzhak Rabin served as prime minister in the 1990s. Politicians make the trek to his doorstep as if he had the power to ensure their political future. Every single prime minister, with the exception of Ariel Sharon, dined at his table. Ehud Barak, Ehud Olmert and, of course, Benjamin Netanyahu have all proudly counted themselves among his friends. There is no one else like him who personified the dramatic change in Israel as it transformed itself from a semi-socialist society to a hyper-capitalist one.
More than anything, Rani Rahav, 47, is identified with the hedonistic get-rich-quick era that dominated Israel for the past two decades. He is a friend to a new breed of entrepreneurs, building their images with their heads held high. Long gone are the days in which rich Israelis would spare no effort to downplay their wealth. These days, Rahav comes to shine an international spotlight on those beautiful young talents who have used their Midas touch to become millionaires and multimillionaires.
Commercial television got swept up in their dizzying success stories and granted them exposure that bordered on veneration. The newspapers missed no chance to lay the red carpet before them and magazines published huge photos of them on their covers. Rahav could be seen peeking out from behind almost every one of these nouveaux riches and every major financial success story.
As if that were not enough, last year, Rahav was chosen to join the panel of judges on "The Next Star," the most popular reality show on Israeli television. His friendships with the rich and famous and his surprising personal fame have catapulted him to superstar status in Israel, so much so that he has even been mentioned as a candidate for prime minister.
