15 Best Press Release Examples by Type (& Why They Work)
A press release is a written statement companies issue to entice the media to cover a company story. There are many different kinds of press releases, including those that promote a charity, announce a product launch or a new hire, and those that introduce a merger or acquisition. Though each type has its own requirements for effectiveness, the best ones consider all audiences who may be interested, objectively showcase the newsworthy angle, and offer journalists a plethora of resources to develop their angles.
For your inspiration and learning experience, here are 15 examples of press releases:
Crisis Communications Press Release Examples
1. Target
Target’s crisis press release does a great job of describing the story’s value for journalists and offering them an easy process for covering it. In writing the press release[1], Target begins by clearly outlining the story within the first couple of sentences, stating “the retailer today announced new safety measures to help reduce the spread of coronavirus.” It then goes on to clearly lay out their crisis response plan. As it does, the retailer considers all stakeholders who may be impacted—including employees and customers.
Once the response plan is clearly defined in the introductory graph, the rest of the release offers lots of information journalists can use to round out their stories, including a quote from the executive vice president and chief operating officer of Target and a breakdown of each of the plan’s components with more information about each. A media contact ensures that journalists can reach out with any questions they need to have answered to cover the story.
2. Zoom
Zoom’s acquisition press release is part of an ongoing response plan to rising security concerns around the Zoom software. As such, the elements of the release[2] were strategically crafted as part of an ongoing crisis communications plan. Zoom does a great job of bringing new stakeholders up to speed, showing its commitment to improving the security of its software, and providing ways readers can continue to receive updates.
The press release subhead, “Transaction Marks Key Milestone in Zoom’s 90-Day Security Plan,” offers the readers two benefits; while brief, it both peaks journalists’ interest in reading more and brings unaware readers up to speed. This helps to continue the ongoing conversation around Zoom’s crisis response plan.
To ensure effective communication during both the acquisition and crisis (and in keeping with crisis communication best practices), Zoom errs on the side of too much communication as opposed to too little. They do so by both including a link to their website page where updates are regularly published and direct contact information to a key company representative so journalists and stakeholders can ask questions.
Charity Press Release Examples
3. DonateLife America
DonateLife America’s event and charity press release does an excellent job of using links to direct journalists to information around the angles they are most interested in covering. In accordance with best practices[3], the release does not offer a one-size-fits-all story, but allows journalists to explore the angle their audiences would most value. Links direct journalists to the people, organizations, and campaigns involved, including social media campaigns, partner websites, and the digital presence of key influencers.
Finally, DonateLife America showcases the event as newsworthy by pointing out it will be hosted by the White House, is aimed at saving American lives, and will include the involvement of the aforementioned influencers and organizations. Here, too, the brand uses links to peak interest and offer more ways journalists can get involved: for journalists who can’t attend in person, the release call to action provides a link where journalists can join by webcast.
4. Gojo
The Gojo press release immediately offers the who, what, when, why, and how of the news story. The company then does an excellent job of convincing readers they should care when it positions their news as a solution to a major community problem. To this effect, they clearly state they are donating 65,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to local hospitals readying for a large influx of patients during the months a global pandemic is predicted to be the most devastating.
Once they’ve made their case that community audiences should care about their news, they then offer a contact solely dedicated to journalists wanting to learn more. In effect, they pique a reader’s interest, then dedicate resources to make sure journalists get their needs met to effectively cover the story. The result is a press release that is to the point and impactful.
New Hire Press Release Examples
5. eBay
In the first paragraph, eBay’s press release does an excellent job of establishing why this new hire should pique journalists’ interest: Jamie Iannone was the Chief Operating Officer of Walmart eCommerce. The new hire brings expertise that better positions the company in the ecommerce space.
It then further develops the newsworthy angle by expanding on the expertise and impressive career behind Mr. Iannone while instilling trust and optimism in customers, investors, and employees who may be uneasy about change. Quotes expound on this optimism with the Chairman of eBay Inc.’s board expressing confidence in the new CEO’s ability to “lead in eBay’s next chapter of growth and success.”
Finally, the company offers a bio of the new hire, positioning him further as a leader capable of offering the company a bright future. The resulting effect is a press release that eases the anxiety change can induce, creates confidence in the future, and piques the media’s interest in a good-news story centered around a household name brand.
6. Gerber
Gerber’s press release announcing their 2019 “Spokesbaby” does an impressive job of telling a well-rounded narrative that time-strapped, deadline-driven journalists can publish as is. It includes a touching story, a compelling image, and feel-good quotes from key players. The result is a newsworthy release that leaves readers satisfied but still looking forward to more. So, not only can journalists publish a story now but, in doing so, they earn the right to fill their publication space with follow-up news as the story continues to develop.
The release accomplishes a ready-to-publish effect by telling a complete and compelling story. In journalistic style, it first discusses a brief and objective summary of the story, then goes on to walk readers through the development of the story, including quotes from both the company and the family of the award recipient. Finally, after bringing readers up to speed, it gives them a sneak peek into how the story will likely develop going forward. Journalists can then follow the story and publish updates as it develops.
Product Launch or Improvement Press Release Examples
7. Chevrolet
Chevrolet’s product launch press release is almost as impressive as their new Corvette. The text within the press release is only three sentences, but the rest of the press release consists of multimedia and even interactive media that immerse journalists in the luxury vehicle, offering more information than a 500-word press release ever could. Journalists can push play to watch the behind-the-scenes process of designing the luxury vehicle and car commentary by the product’s designers.
After being immersed in the product, journalists can then pull quotes spoken by the designers in the video to develop their stories. And, with a click of a button, they can download the image and the video to upload to their publications or social media posts. The multimedia inclusions mean greater engagement for journalists’ pieces, meaning they’re more likely to want to cover the story.
8. Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola offers an experience in their product launch press release announcing the debut of its Coca-Cola Energy drink. The result is coverage that will bring in more buzz and business around their product launch. Readers are immersed in the product launch with interactive features. They can click on images from their product launch commercial to enlarge them. They can also click on a link to watch the commercial themselves and access long-form content with more quotes, statistics, and information around their product launch plan.
Finally, journalists are given a sneak peek into the launch event that is to span the country. If journalists show up at a product launch event near them, they can try the product themselves via a free sample. Journalists and readers are also given details about the major event to take place in Grand Central Terminal in New York, letting them show up and experience the grand product launch themselves, and offer a review of their experience when writing their stories.
9. Yarnspirations
Yarnspirations’ product launch press release stands out by effectively positioning the announcements as an industry disrupter and, as a result, newsworthy. In the end, deadline-driven journalists with little time to read an entire release can make an immediate decision as to whether the news will be valuable to their audiences or not. Then, they can immediately access information and experiences to explore their angles in more depth, without having to go on a time-consuming search for more information.
The new products offer options to target demographics the industry has not been able to reach before (namely, men and children). It also uses patented technology to make a product that has remained quite the same for decades cutting-edge. These newsworthy angles are immediately introduced in the first paragraph of the release.
Other elements around the initial paragraph are also immediately provided to prove the story’s newsworthiness. The title incorporates the word “innovation” to grab attention and the subheading teases journalists with big industry news, using the word “revolutionize” to entice them to read on. While the release offers two angles to suit different stakeholders, regardless of which angle journalists choose, quotes by key company representatives highlight the revolutionary angle of both, thus helping journalists fill out their stories.
10. Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A’s product-improvement press release follows all the current best practices for a press release, including brevity, an objective tone, a call to action (CTA) that is both valuable to the brand and its readers, and a high-resolution proprietary image. It stands out by offering all the points a journalist wants to know when it states why the story is newsworthy and why journalists’ audiences will care.