WRITING A XR PRESS RELEASE

Step 1: Writing

Use this template

The shorter the better! And never more than 1 A4.

Step 2: Sending it

Before:

Send the press release to the media about a week before the action. If the goal is for the media to see the action live, a week is necessary so they can put in their agendas. It’s best to find out which specific journalist works on environmental issues and send the invitation the him/her directly. Quality over quantity. Also local media is most likely to show up.

After:

Send it straight after the action (max an hour later, but the faster the better) including 1 or 2 pictures This is similar to the press release sent out before, but with the adjustment of specific things that happened at the action. It’s important to count the amount of people who showed up for the action, to be able to put that number into the press release (see example). After the action, go to a café or house nearby with a laptop and let the photographer load images into the press release. Always important to include credits of photographer.

→ The way to send a press release is NOT a pdf, but to copy text and images straight into the e-mail itself. So there will be no attachments.

Preparation points

Spokesperson:. It’s important to find a spokesperson whose number can be included in the press release in case anybody has more questions. Make sure you decide on who this will be well on time! Also the journalists can speak with this person at the action.

Media contact list. Know who you are going to send it to. Create a list with important local journalists. Try to establish personal contact, e.g. through previous actions.

Photographer. Find a photographer that can transfer images directly after the action.

E-mail. Decide which email you will send it from, from a local XR email address or the general media&comms address. Decide this before the action takes place, to have everything ready to send it out as fast as possible.

Team. When sending out the press release after the action, make sure this is communicated beforehand with the own team, so that there can be 2 or 3 people working on this after the action. Together is better than sitting alone in a café!

Find all the previous press releases here

-- PumMedia - 23 May 2020