February 20, 2019

How to Write a Press Release

Content goes a long way in the age of integrated marketing. Your press release will be distributed, and therefore seen by numerous people, on an array of platforms. It is essential that your release is written well. Here are some tips on how to write a press release.

The title of a winning press release tells you who won. It tells you the score, so to speak, before it tells you how the winner scored—because the title, “UNDERDOG MOVIE ‘WE JUST WON’ WINS ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE” is the story. (Disclosure: This is a hypothetical release. The text is original, and for teaching purposes only.)

The sentences of the first paragraph augment the title.

Production Company announced today that its low-budget fantasy film, WE JUST WON, received the Academy Award for Best Picture. The film had its world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in January. This is the first time in over a decade that a movie with a budget of under $20 million has earned the film industry’s top prize.

The second paragraph tells you how the winner scored.

WE JUST WON is a fantasy film that envisions life in America after the apocalypse. The movie hits home in an era of dissension. Resonating with today’s youth, the film shattered box office expectations by attracting a demographic that likes to consume entertainment in the comfort of their own homes. 

 The third paragraph (and possibly fourth) features a quote(s) from relevant authorities. Insightful quotes take the place of a substantive paragraph (or two).

“For me, WE JUST WON captures the mood of today’s youth in America. It offers hope in an era of despair. When we sat down at the drawing board a couple of years ago, we knew we faced an uphill battle both in terms of budget and fully executing our vision,” said John Doe, director of WE JUST WON.

The fourth and final paragraph is about the winner, the section that contains the boilerplate about a person or team.

About Production Company

Production Company is a boutique production company formed by former executives of Major Studio. Since 2009, it has released 17 films with budgets ranging from $8-22 million and has won several domestic and international awards.

Always remember to include Contact Information in your release.

Contact: Jane Doe, Phone Number, e-mail

Press release authors have a tendency to write too much. When it comes to press releases, less is often more and the tighter the better.