Is the press release dead?

Posted on June 21, 2005 by Dave J.

The Marketing Profs declare: The Press Release is Dead (Will Somebody Please Tell the Clients?) Hey, I’m the client and now I’ve been told. I’m imagine the PR pros out there have been debating this issue for a while. The author, Sally Saville Hodge, makes the point that you can’t expect broad PRs to be picked up by the press. Instead, she suggests:

“A short, personalized email—three paragraphs at most—to the targeted journalists with a to-the-point lead-in should not only outline the storyline but also emphasize its relevance to the outlet’s audiences. This personal approach is going to have a far greater chance of grabbing the reporter’s attention than a news release that’s written for the masses.”

I’d say that this approach has always been superior, but the less available print space has changed the demand, so that lower-quality approaches are ineffective. Less print space means less PRs will be picked up. The ability to post news to your own website also lessens the expectation that the PR needs to get in the press. Well, it lessens the need, but we need to change our expectations–those who care about our company or products will find this news on our website first anyway.

I’ve done a new-product PR and a newsy PR this year, broadly distributed to editors in appropriate publications. None picked up on the releases, as far as I know. Now I know why.

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  • Anonymous

    FWIW – I wouldn’t call the meatwagon just yet. But soon maybe.I put out a PR a few weeks back about getting the Willys Overland deal. It hit in the Holland Sentinel, Business Review, and MiBiz – so it can still work. I certainly couldn’t buy that kind of advertsing for the couple hours work doing the PR and mailing it out.It would be interesting to call and talk to everyone I sent that to, and see if it would have had any chance of getting in via email.My impression is the print PR channel is so well established that it will take some time before email is preferred.Boyink

  • Anonymous

    FWIW – I wouldn’t call the meatwagon just yet. But soon maybe.I put out a PR a few weeks back about getting the Willys Overland deal. It hit in the Holland Sentinel, Business Review, and MiBiz – so it can still work. I certainly couldn’t buy that kind of advertsing for the couple hours work doing the PR and mailing it out.It would be interesting to call and talk to everyone I sent that to, and see if it would have had any chance of getting in via email.My impression is the print PR channel is so well established that it will take some time before email is preferred.Boyink

  • hemartin

    The ‘old press release’ is dead, long live the ‘new press release’ I don’t think that anything big has changed in the basics about good and successful ‘press relations’. But process, media and needs have changed and PR people have to follow / adapt (or even better lead that change). Some make it earlier, some make it later.e.g. if you have a website and you don’t care for ‘press visitors’ start thinking! Sometimes it seems, the industry is better (than the press) in adapting, as they can exercise (and have to adapt) on their clients requirements.

  • hemartin

    The ‘old press release’ is dead, long live the ‘new press release’ I don’t think that anything big has changed in the basics about good and successful ‘press relations’. But process, media and needs have changed and PR people have to follow / adapt (or even better lead that change). Some make it earlier, some make it later.e.g. if you have a website and you don’t care for ‘press visitors’ start thinking! Sometimes it seems, the industry is better (than the press) in adapting, as they can exercise (and have to adapt) on their clients requirements.

  • Blake

    I think that corporate blogs can be used as another channel for press release distribution. But the catch is not to post the enitre release, but instead have the CEO blog it (just make sure it’s a non marketing tone).

  • David Shaw

    I linked to your post over on my blog, and offer some comments.And I like Blake’s comment about using a corporate blog. If you keep the pitch out of the post, and simply note the news–a new product, a new price structure–that could work, as well.

  • David Shaw

    I linked to your post over on my blog, and offer some comments.And I like Blake’s comment about using a corporate blog. If you keep the pitch out of the post, and simply note the news–a new product, a new price structure–that could work, as well.

  • Rich Westerfield

    I imagine you’re dead on as far as the IT and general biz rags go. But many niche markets just had banner years. For instance, construction pubs did well as a group – even several new launches. The increase in ad space actually helped demand for “old school” press releases. Some months they were almost starving for content.Which is not to say the process couldn’t and shouldn’t be handled better via opt-in emails or RSS feeds. It can. But in some markets there’s no urgency just yet.

  • Rich Westerfield

    I imagine you’re dead on as far as the IT and general biz rags go. But many niche markets just had banner years. For instance, construction pubs did well as a group – even several new launches. The increase in ad space actually helped demand for “old school” press releases. Some months they were almost starving for content.Which is not to say the process couldn’t and shouldn’t be handled better via opt-in emails or RSS feeds. It can. But in some markets there’s no urgency just yet.

  • Marketing Services Guy

    I still beleive in the efficiency of press releases. I guess location matters.

  • Marketing Services Guy

    I still beleive in the efficiency of press releases. I guess location matters.

  • william2233

    I’m hoping it too dead, I had one posted thru prweb two months ago and got invited to talk for 10-minutes on Globaltalkradio.comUnder A Story To Tell. I thought it was really neat. Other than thatnot much. I just had another out Oct,27 for my new third published book. Nothing yet?For those who have children age’s 5 on up check out http://www.lulu.com/william2or my web page at http://home.comcast.net/~william.sawyers/Who knows maybe I’ll get more responces from this.LOL

  • william2233

    I’m hoping it too dead, I had one posted thru prweb two months ago and got invited to talk for 10-minutes on Globaltalkradio.comUnder A Story To Tell. I thought it was really neat. Other than thatnot much. I just had another out Oct,27 for my new third published book. Nothing yet?For those who have children age’s 5 on up check out http://www.lulu.com/william2or my web page at http://home.comcast.net/~william.sawyers/Who knows maybe I’ll get more responces from this.LOL

  • Marketing

    I don’t think PR is dead but it’s funny to see inexperienced marketing directors spending thousands of dollars hiring PR agencies to find out later that their news ended up in free press release directories on the web and hurt their search engine rankings in the process. If only their boss knew…

  • Marketing

    I don’t think PR is dead but it’s funny to see inexperienced marketing directors spending thousands of dollars hiring PR agencies to find out later that their news ended up in free press release directories on the web and hurt their search engine rankings in the process. If only their boss knew…

  • Kevin Dawson / Global Talk Rad

    I can’t believe it’s been 3 years since your interview on our station!It was great having you and hope you’ll be part of our program again in the future!And FWIW, the press release isn’t dead… just changing in form. :)

  • Kevin Dawson / Global Talk Radio

    I can’t believe it’s been 3 years since your interview on our station!

    It was great having you and hope you’ll be part of our program again in the future!

    And FWIW, the press release isn’t dead… just changing in form. :)

  • Blake

    I think that corporate blogs can be used as another channel for press release distribution. But the catch is not to post the enitre release, but instead have the CEO blog it (just make sure it's a non marketing tone).