Despite reports that Tesla has dissolved its US PR department, clear communications channels have never been more important. Whether fighting against misinformation or ‘fake news’, demonstrating transparency and accountability, or simply being willing to engage with investors, customers and employees, the role of communications in organisations, companies and governments remains vital.

As the environment in which we’re communicating changes – as it has rapidly over the previous months – we must reflect on what the most effective channels to use for communications today.

For too long, companies and organisations have relied on a press release, issued via a newswire, email or published on a website and left to be found by those reporters with time and/or the inclination to do some digging. Apple went so far as to point journalists to a blog instead of issuing press releases at one point. So, are we predicting the death of the press release? No, the humble press release still has a role and a place. But it all comes down to the information being conveyed.

To help understand how global brands can make their press releases sing and dance, we gathered insights from our Brands2Life Global partners and there are some unifying trends – but also very specific local nuances to consider.

Universal features of a successful press release

From France to Austria, India and right across North and South America, the most important factor is whether there is local news value and relevance to the local market. If not, the press release as a dissemination medium needs to be rethought or local insights sourced.

Timing was also cited as a key consideration – why now and how does the announcement respond to what’s going on more broadly in the company’s industry or in the country itself? Make sure the press release relates or responds to the current news agenda, for example issues affecting society, government, big tech or other major headlines.

Being a recognisable brand helps to reach business or mainstream media and audiences, but there are ways around this, for example a newsworthy story, an interesting (and local) spokesperson, or even a catchy headline.

Local requirements for a successful press release

All too often a piece of news from one region is recycled and used for a press release in another, with local requirements overlooked. Across South America, for example, having a spokesperson who can speak Spanish or Portuguese (depending on the country) can work, but more important is having relevance to the local region: for a product announcement, what are the local costs; what impact will the announcement have on local communities; and are there country-specific statistics or numbers?

Another region that requires careful tailoring is Spain. Here you need in-country comparisons between the different autonomous regions. Don’t forget to include high quality creative imagery or even videos and infographics to increase your chance of inclusion in publications too.

In the UK and US, a press release is more powerful if it includes customer proof points. Often this can be a quote from a customer, but a release can be made much stronger if the customer is also willing to be interviewed by reporters.

A compelling future for press releases

The press release is but one of many tools that a communications expert will consult and advise on. It still has a role and place, but needs to be compelling and answerable to the 5 Ws (and an H) of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, how. Combined with local nuance and relevance, there is no reason why it can’t still have the desired effect in conveying a message to a particular audience.

Many thanks to our Brands2Life Global partners for their input for this piece: Gen-G (France), Candour Communications (India), Canela PR (Spain & Portugal), Results & Relations (Austria), Sherlock Communications (Brazil and wider LATAM), Brands2Life (UK and US) and Fabriq (France).