Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight
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Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight
Social marketing, PR insight & thought leadership - from The PR Coach
Curated by Jeff Domansky
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The world's worst press release and the disgrace of the fear industry

The world's worst press release and the disgrace of the fear industry | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it

The world's worst press release landed in my inbox the other day.

Competition is stiff for that title but this release, which came with the subject line, "Lifesaving information for Chicago citizens," ran away with the crown.

After a cheery, "Hi Mary," it began:

"We are only a little over a halfway through with 2017 and Chicago's violence shows no signs of stopping."

No argument there. Violence is the curse, the tragic flaw, the interminable disease of this great city — a psychological undercurrent even in the many neighborhoods that rarely witness it; and this wasn't the first press release I've ever gotten that takes note of that fact. I routinely get pitches involving violence, some with ideas that sound productive, like programs that work with kids in struggling parts of town.

The world's worst press release wasn't one of those.

Jeff Domansky's insight:

Not the worst news release I've ever seen but pretty bad. A nothingburger.

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Tribune Publishing, now ‘tronc,’ issues worst press release in the history of journalism

Tribune Publishing, now ‘tronc,’ issues worst press release in the history of journalism | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it

It has been a tense spring in the realm of big-time newspaper consolidation. Back in April, Gannett, owner of more than 100 newspapers across the country, including the flagship USA Today, made a roughly $400 million takeover bid for the Tribune Publishing, owner of the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun and several other titles.


The intervening weeks have seen a great deal of maneuvering by Tribune Chairman Michael Ferro to rebuff the bid, an effort that advanced Thursday with the news that Gannett may be backing off its bid in light of “expectations” that Tribune shareholders would back management in a critical vote.


[VIDEO: Tribune rejects Gannett’s bid again]


Amid all this business, the Tribune lost its mind, in a press release. First, it renamed and rebranded itself:


On June 20, we'll be tronc. Yep. tronc. pic.twitter.com/PvK8jtrQbp— Michael Zajakowski (@zajakowski) June 2, 2016


“Tronc” stands for “Tribune online content,” or, as this tronc press release renders it in smaller case: “tribune online content.” So obsessed is the new, rebranded company with the Web’s lower-case vibe that its press release starts various sentences that way. ...

Jeff Domansky's insight:

Buzzwords and lower-case letters abound. Hope for the survival of the entity formerly known as the Chicago Tribune? Not so much. And the news release? One of the worst examples of baffling, befuddling, techno-speak-filled, corporate jargon laden press release ever seen. And I've seen a lot of them.

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10 Reasons Why Your Press Release Sucks

10 Reasons Why Your Press Release Sucks | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it
Press releases will continue to be the workhorse of public relations, even after social media has allowed businesses to engage directly with customers. Here are 10 mistakes to avoid when pitching one.
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The most vacuous press release ever: Revolt PR - without bullshit

The most vacuous press release ever: Revolt PR - without bullshit | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it
Sometimes, when I boil down a piece of writing, I find nuggets of truth embedded within a matrix of jargon and bullshit. But sometimes, I just find nothing but platitudes, emptiness, and evidence of incompetence. That’s the apparent communications strategy of Revolt PR.

Here’s what the press release says: Revolt PR believes it can help you reach millennials, and it has a new web site. It takes 270 words to say so. And it’s a revealing exercise in why, if you have nothing to say, you should say nothing.
Jeff Domansky's insight:

Josh Bernoff dissects a PR news release failure along with  a few plagiarism, spelling and fact checking issues from this LA PR agency. Ouch!

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SEO Update: Google Says Press Releases Should Be No Follow | Claire Jarrett

SEO Update: Google Says Press Releases Should Be No Follow | Claire Jarrett | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it

SEO Update: Google Says Press Releases Should Be No Follow - what is behind their decision?... There has always been some scepticism around the benefits of using press releases for SEO but those who have used them in the past could now be facing problems. Google have decided to go ahead and punish any sites using follow links in press releases, and the reason behind this- Google say that a press release is similar to an advertisement for your company and therefore should not be used for linking....

Jeff Domansky's insight:

Are news releases is still a viable PR tool? Without careful treatment, and the addition of no-follow links, Google may punish you for perceived black hat SEO tactics. This debate is not over yet.

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Bad Dogs: 18 Brand New, Worst Press Releases

Bad Dogs: 18 Brand New, Worst Press Releases | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it
The quest for more effective news releases continues. You wouldn’t know it by looking at this collection of 18 of the worst press release dogs.

 

The headlines alone will make you shudder. As you’ll see, the only plausible excuse for these news release fails is “the dog ate my real press release.”

 

But first, let’s look at some interesting press release trends....

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