Comments on: Eight Telltale Signs That Your Press Release Is Bullshit

By: Desiree

Desiree — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:25:07 +0000

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By: nick

nick — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 22:04:40 +0000

If I had a top 3 of favorite nights on BlogTalkRadio, last night would be number 1. Maybe Im a little biased with a long marketing background but, Scott Baradell from Idea Grove and the popular blog Media Orchard hosted his show last night with a very special guest, Steve Rubel from Edelman one of the most successful PR firms in the US.
Scott and Steve both have a chemistry together that kept you riveted to the show. There were moments
of serious talk, and then the hilarity of banter regarding competition, and so on. Then the calls started coming in and the conversation was informative and captivating to say the least.
This was Scott’s line up of conversation:
1. Why Jimmy Wales, Second Lifers and others don’t like PR people.
2. Why Edelman has taken so much grief over the past few months.
3. Whether telling chicks in bars that you’re the “original PR doyen” is the ultimate aphrodisiac.
4. Whatever YOU want to talk about.
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nick
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real estate

By: Mark O'Toole

Mark O'Toole — Wed, 09 May 2007 18:26:02 +0000

Content is still king. Proven, facts, strong writing and a good story win the day. This opinion comes from the leading paradigm disruptor of end-to-end holistic PR-related thoughts.

By: John Bowie

John Bowie — Tue, 01 May 2007 03:03:14 +0000

Sensible, much-needed article. Our site handles law-related news and although we deal daily with press releases from a variety of sources, we also find increasing ‘bumpf’ in the releases, particularly when they relate to largely self-promoting events, awards, partnerships etc.

By: yvonne

yvonne — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 14:36:48 +0000

Great to-the-point guide. I’ll need to give this the “Management” who thinks press releases are the only way to say something to the outside world.

By: Scott Baradell

Scott Baradell — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 12:05:30 +0000

Thanks, Maureen. I should clarify that “marketing by press release” CAN be OK — if it’s a release that’s purely being sent out for direct-to-consumer or search-engine marketing purposes.
For these releases, however, I ONLY use PR Web (never Business Wire or PR Newswire) and I don’t send them to ANY media on the client’s distribution list.
Actually, that’s probably a good topic for a future post.

By: Maureen Rogers

Maureen Rogers — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:21:44 +0000

Scott – Great post. I’m going to nail it to my wall and look at it every time I’m tempted to start doing “marketing by press release,” i.e., cave-in and send something completely non-newsworthy out there just because it’s cheap and we haven’t had anything on our release list for 6 months.

By: Sherrilynne Starkie

Sherrilynne Starkie — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 07:26:11 +0000

This post should be required reading for clients. They are ones who try to sneak the BS into a press release.

By: Bill Booth

Bill Booth — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 23:04:26 +0000

Ever try and read every release a particular company puts out? As an investor in Ericson (ERIC), I get at LEAST 5 per day! What does this mean? I dont bother reading any! Give me someting that really is new and meaningful.

By: B.L. Ochman

B.L. Ochman — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:47:02 +0000

A couple I’d add that make most releases into press releases from hell:
- release is more than 250 words long. If I need more info, I will ask you for it.
- your headline doesn’t tell the story. And so your release won’t get read.
- contact information is not included
- there is no link to a website with additional information, photos, etc.
- release sent as email attachment. You’re nuts if you think anyone will open an unsolicited email attachment

By: Cam Beck

Cam Beck — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:14:52 +0000

Good advice, Scott. It sounds as if you’ve gotten a few too many press releases in your day.
Without a doubt, Web 2.0 is creating a revolutionary paradigm shift that is causing leading companies to change their end-to-end communications strategies.

By: David Reich

David Reich — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 17:46:34 +0000

As a longtime public relations agency person, I must sadly admit that you are right, Scott. Too many p.r. “professionals” are not very professional because they’ve learned from hacks.
I am lucky that my first two jobs out of B-school were with small agencies led by former journalists who cared about what went out of their shops. I learned how to write and think like a reporter, so I wouldn’t be sending junk out that’s totally off-base for what the reporter covers. And I don’t use superlatives unless I can back them up.
When I worked as a senior manager at two large agencies before starting my own shop, I was horrified at the sloppiness of the work. The big agencies are too caught up with billable hours, and most don’t devote the time to properly train their junior people. Also, too many mid-size agencies are run by people who do p.r. just the way you’re criticizing, and the young people who work for them learn really bad habits.
I sometimes suffer from being painted with the same brush as the hacks. But I’d say most media people I’ve dealt with see that I try to do it right, and they appreciate it and are then open to future pitches from me. There are many others in this field who are professional. There just needs to be even more.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:58:05 +0000

If a pro is doing his/her job correctly, the heavy lifting will have been done early and the release will only serve as an obit.

By: Claire Ratushny

Claire Ratushny — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:54:28 +0000

Scott,
Great post. As a marketing person, nothing sends me up a wall faster than your point #3. Gibberish, aka business expressions meant to impress rather than plain, down to earth talk is my big beef. I believe it is for Lewis Green, as well, based on his past comments. What’s wrong with sending out a press release if there really is news worthy of one, and making it short, to the point, and writing it in plain English?

By: Evan

Evan — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:02:52 +0000

I think this is a great article. I’ve seen more corporate babble in the last six months than I ever hoped to see in my entire life. And the company I’m forming hasn’t even opened a store yet. Our press releases come from our parent company and while they serve our purpose, they don’t always serve anyone else’s.
Great article, I’m sending it on to 20 people in the form of a press release.

By: Scott Baradell

Scott Baradell — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:38:06 +0000

Lewis,
I agree with your points. I would add that I left the direct-to-consumer element of press releases out of the equation in this post. The one bad thing about direct-to-consumer is that it encourages the use of even more fluffy marketing language, so if the same release is sent to a reporter (as in usually the case), it’s even more likely to be tossed.

By: Lewis Green

Lewis Green — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:57:43 +0000

As a former reporter and editor, most press releases are BS, and you list some of the reasons why.
However, in today’s online world, I don’t have to worry so much about what newspaper editors want, as I can bypass them by using online (paid) services to reach my clients’ audience directly. In addition to posting the releases online, I post them on my clients’ web sites and send them out to my clients’ opt-in e-mail distribution lists.
Yes, I still send them to a select few newspapers and magazines, but my clients get more than their money’s worth, whether the publications pick them up or don’t.
If I can, I want to add one additional point to your list, and I would put it first: newsworthiness. If a press release isn’t newsworthy to the specific audience served by a publication, nothing else matters. It won’t get picked up.