Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Piss poor press releases
The World’s Leading (TWL) takes its moniker from th frequent use of unnecessary and meaningless superlatives in press releases. We’ve had an intern working with us for the last few weeks who has been exploring how the PR industry uses language and has conclusive proof that TWL is spot on.
Out of 150 press releases posted on Sourcewire in June, “best” appeared 68, times followed by “latest” recurring 29 times and “largest” 24 times. Descriptive words such as “biggest”, “fastest” and “hottest” weren’t far behind.
Two-thirds of releases had opening sentences stretching to more than 20 words, with one example topping 60 words. The length of headline was also excessive, in some cases reaching almost 30 words.
Does it matter? I think it does. The industry has lost sight of what a press release is for and I think we need to get back to basics.
I realise this is an open invitation for bloggers to scrutinise every press release that I’ve ever written, and I appreciate that often for legal or regulatory requirements a press release has to conform to a certain style.
But ideally a press release should include a short, relevant headline that grabs the reader’s attention while the first sentence should be concise and summarise the story.
Overusing superlatives can weaken your message. Being the “best” does not make your release any better.
The World’s Leading (TWL) takes its moniker from th frequent use of unnecessary and meaningless superlatives in press releases. We’ve had an intern working with us for the last few weeks who has been exploring how the PR industry uses language and has conclusive proof that TWL is spot on.
Out of 150 press releases posted on Sourcewire in June, “best” appeared 68, times followed by “latest” recurring 29 times and “largest” 24 times. Descriptive words such as “biggest”, “fastest” and “hottest” weren’t far behind.
Two-thirds of releases had opening sentences stretching to more than 20 words, with one example topping 60 words. The length of headline was also excessive, in some cases reaching almost 30 words.
Does it matter? I think it does. The industry has lost sight of what a press release is for and I think we need to get back to basics.
I realise this is an open invitation for bloggers to scrutinise every press release that I’ve ever written, and I appreciate that often for legal or regulatory requirements a press release has to conform to a certain style.
But ideally a press release should include a short, relevant headline that grabs the reader’s attention while the first sentence should be concise and summarise the story.
Overusing superlatives can weaken your message. Being the “best” does not make your release any better.
Labels: PR
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Comments:
citing your company as the best is never a bad thing especially when many journalists simply copy and paste.
Press releases are full of flumpf but how please would your client be if you told the truth 'one of the world's most average software developers' or if you stripped the crap out of it? it would probably only be maybe a paragraph long and they'll be asking where their money's gone.
i hate press releases but right now don';t see any other method thta can displace it
Press releases are full of flumpf but how please would your client be if you told the truth 'one of the world's most average software developers' or if you stripped the crap out of it? it would probably only be maybe a paragraph long and they'll be asking where their money's gone.
i hate press releases but right now don';t see any other method thta can displace it
# posted by 
: 9:05 AM
: 9:05 AM
don't think anyone would choose to put 'best', 'world's leading' etc in a press release would they? I'd always assumed that it was client insistance on these terms that was the problem, not PRs thinking it was a good thing to do...
# posted by : 1:57 PM
: 1:57 PM
If you're a PR it should be your strong advaice to clients that they avoid needless verbiage - you're more likely to be remembered by a journo (and thought well of) if you get to the point quickly and in a concise, punchy style. The US seems to be particularly bad at this and with releases sometimes going over 4 or 5 pages. I bet you journo's only ever read the first two paras.
# posted by : 2:26 PM
: 2:26 PM
Why a 60 word intro and long, convoluted headline? Because the client wants the PR to hit three or four different target audiences all in one go, and it doesn't work!
So a press release is written for the person who controls the budget to lord it over another internal division, then for stockholders and investment bankers, then for customers and perhaps after that for the press.....
What is needed is PR with the (metaphorical) balls to stand up to the client and get them to commit to a particular line, and those are sorely lacking nowadays.
Jaded and cynical, that'll be me! www.flaherty.co.uk
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So a press release is written for the person who controls the budget to lord it over another internal division, then for stockholders and investment bankers, then for customers and perhaps after that for the press.....
What is needed is PR with the (metaphorical) balls to stand up to the client and get them to commit to a particular line, and those are sorely lacking nowadays.
Jaded and cynical, that'll be me! www.flaherty.co.uk
