16 Press Release

Definition

This assessment was created for a business course at College Boréal and can be used in any course that includes an outcome related to writing a press release for a company as part of marketing/administrative responsibilities and skill-building. The course example used had the following learning outcome: Write a press release using an objective writing style that is respectful of the Associated Press style and the inverted pyramid style of writing.

Description for Students (Example from course)

Context

It has been six months since Erika implemented changes to innovate and modernize the services offered at Excellence Enterprises Inc., and the efforts have paid off. There has been such an increase in the number of companies and individuals that use the services that it was decided Excellence Enterprises Inc. would give back to its clients by hosting a customer appreciation event: A Weekend Winter Carnival.

During a meeting, Erika asks you to create a press release to be published immediately. You recall the information conveyed by Erika during the last meeting:

“A WEEKEND WINTER CARNIVAL,”

This is the first-ever customer appreciation event, and, hopefully, it will become an annual event.

We want to invite our clients and their families to participate in ice sculpture competitions, see our incredible ice palace, enjoy outdoor games, and, if we are able to organize it, we will even have a heated tent with seating. Of course, we will be serving food and beverages as well. Roberta’s team created an interactive app “Excellence Enterprises Inc. FEST” that will be integrated in the festival, so nobody will miss a thing. David and Amahle, of the Language Department, have already agreed to oversee the evening bonfire, so it is sure to be a memorable event. I will be giving everybody more details shortly, including the information needed for our press release.

Instructions

Use your reference sheet and the template you created to write the press release. Make sure the press release respects the following criteria:

• Elements must be presented in the correct order.
• Top must include contact information and date of release
• Title must be specific and clearly explain what the release is about.
• Lead must explain news worthiness (single sentence).
• First paragraph must include the CITY in all caps as well as the Province and date in bold.

Body must:

• Provide information in decreasing levels of importance (inverted pyramid style of writing).
• Be formed of short sentences and short paragraphs.
• Include all the information provided by Erika. It may also include more if you deem it important to add information.
• Quotation must be included.
• About and Contact sections must be inserted as boilerplates (should already be part of the template you created).
• Bottom must include “end” symbols.
• Include the following information in the press release:
• First ever customer appreciation event
• Family-friendly
• Ice sculpture competition and incredible ice palace
• Fun outdoor games for the whole family
• Skating rink
• Heated tents with seating
• Food and beverage booths, including the ever-popular “Canadian beaver tails”
• Interactive App suitable for children and adults alike
• Evening bonfire with music
• Many prizes to be won
• Quotation: Erika asks you to interview a few clients and to include a statement about Excellence Enterprises Inc., or about the desired outcome of the event or about anything that can embellish the press release. Use your imagination to create the quotation.
• Location: Centennial Park
• Date: 3rd weekend of February. Events begin Friday evening at 6:00 p.m. and continue through to Sunday at 6:00 p.m.

Make sure to use a writing style that is:

• Relevant and descriptive
• Clear, concise, and coherent
• Rich and using catchy vocabulary
• In an announcement-style, creative, attention-getting, and upbeat
• Proofread for excellence in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and document formatting.
• Submit the press release to your professor.

Note: Be sure to view the rubric to ensure you have met all the criteria for the press release.

Rubric

The evaluation uses two different rubric formats: one resembles a checklist that evaluates the format of the press release (with only two performance levels) and one is a traditional rubric (with four performance levels) that evaluates the content and writing style of the press release.

Format of Press Release

Content and Style of the Press Release

Facilitation Tips / Student Feedback

Students appreciate real-world tasks that allow them to develop transferable skills and acquire industry-specific knowledge.

Set Previous Contexts (to lead up to the assignment)

Context 1 – class session

As part of Excellence Enterprises Inc.’s activities to innovate and modernize operations, Erika explains that writing press releases will no longer be outsourced to local journalists. She explains that press releases are not only used to make public announcements, but also that a well-written press release can be an outstanding marketing tool for both social and traditional media. For this reason, she has decided that writing press releases will be done in-house and that it becomes the responsibility of the administrative assistant, with the support of the Language Department.

Your entire work team must now gather information to learn more about the typical format guidelines and writing style. Your team has found interesting resources to consult and to learn more on the subject.

Context 2 – activity

Erika would like the staff of Excellence Enterprises Inc. to develop a simple, one-page, point-form type reference sheet that will be used as a guide each time a press release is prepared. She expects the reference sheet to be simple, to briefly outline the elements of a press release as well as to provide hints for writing style. This should very much be like a checklist.

Note: Erika wants the staff to use this guideline reference sheet to write an upcoming press release. She has asked you to study information presented during the last meeting and also in the following resource.

Context – activity

Erika would like the staff members of Excellence Enterprises Inc. to begin using their own press release template, because it is an efficient practice that not only saves time, but also helps to ensure a continuity of the information published. She has asked you to use the information already provided to create a simple template that can be used by all staff. She also asks that you make sure the About and Contact sections, which normally do not change from one press release to another, are completed and incorporated into the template.

Note: Erika expects the staff to use this template to write an upcoming press release.

Context – class session

Erika has made it known that she will be announcing customer appreciation events for which she will want to publish a catchy press release. Since you have been assigned the task of writing this press release, you decide to polish your skills by studying various recent press releases. You also find it helpful to research information online that provides tips and strategies on writing effective press releases.