The chapter begins by listing six questions that a writer should answer before writing a news release.
Source: Get 2 Running
Choose one of the six questions and answer them as if you were preparing a news release for one of the following situations:
a. A world premiere play in a local theatre
b. A food manufacturer is introducing a gluten-free chip
c. A university is kicking off their annual alumni drive
Gina Luttrell 
B. A food manufacturer is introducing a gluten-free chip…
“What goal is the organization pursuing? What is the organization’s purpose? Is it to increase sales of a product? Position the company as a leader in the field? Show company concern for the environment?”
The goals that the company is pursuing are to gain awareness of the product, develop a following and become the best version of the product that has already penetrated the market.
The purpose should be to promote delicious alternatives for those who have certain grain allergies, those looking to improve their health and of course anyone looking for a yummy all-natural snack. It is important to bring attention to the gluten-free aspect… because it is the product, but also to market as a chip in general that “just so happens to be gluten free”.
I feel that with that second approach you can attract those who are hesitant about the “gluten-free” foods.
I think that any company’s goal is to increase sales, so of course there’s a part of my company that is looking for that. I think that we are looking to be a leading manufacturer in the field.
Because it is a gluten-free product, it can be assumed that they would use all natural products.. Not recycled materials, well maybe in the packaging. With the use of windmills and greenhouses for production.
I totally agree with you Ashley! Living healthy and eating right, has always been important, but is becoming more and more of a trend as the years go by. Every company is looking for a way to improve, alternate and spin their product in order to gain the “health freak” population of consumer’s period, or the consumers they lost after they read the actual ingredients that’s in those milkshakes they buy. I know people who stop eating or drinking a certain product because the competitor’s product has 10% less sugar…or is made with “fat free products”…or that chicken is fed food that has no steroids or something. Catering to those customers is definitely the way to go, at least until there is another trend that tops it in the next couple of years. Although I’m pretty sure that health will be at the top of the trend list for a while. As Gina would say “Keep up with the trends!”
I think the main goal with a company trying to introduce a new product is getting the word out there. If nobody knows what the company is putting out or “what’s new” then their following will not increase. So, I agree with you in the fact that “The goals that the company is pursuing are to gain awareness of the product, develop a following and become the best version of the product that has already penetrated the market. “ There will always be another company that comes along and put out a gluten free chip but the key is getting customers to stay with your brand. I agree with what you said in that companies are really about increasing sales. Without sales they are in a panic of what to do next to get people to buy their products. I also liked when you mentioned being a “leading manufacturer in the field.”
I agree- a goal of a company when putting out a new product, is always to become the best version of that product. The goal when creating a new product would at the very least be to match other products that are already on the market, but if a company can top what’s already out, they have gold.
It’s interesting that you said, “Because it is a gluten-free product, it can be assumed that they would use all natural products,” I don’t think I’d be able to make that assumption. However, I binged, “gluten-free chips,” and of course Frito-Lay and their journey to gluten-free snacking was near the top. On their website, two of the four main information tabs are, “your health,” and, “our planet.” They’ve made a wonderfully informative site to [like you said], promote delicious alternatives while being kind to the environment by, “constantly exploring ways to reduce the environmental footprint,” of their packaging. http://www.fritolay.com/index.html ..Nice!
I chose the 6th question is, “What key message should this news release highlight? How can they be tailored to the format of a specific publication and its readers?”
A. A world premiere play in a local theatre
Key message: It’s not often that a play known world-wide is being held at a local venue regarding location and time. This is something worth seeing because it’s happening locally.
These key messages can be tailored based on specific publications and its readers because theatrical plays are catering to a lot of audiences, whether it’s a family newspaper, women’s magazine or men’s magazine. It can be a good time for families to bond, an event that women can get dressed up and go out to with their girlfriends and for men to take the ladies on a date to.
B. A food manufacturer is introducing a gluten-free chip
Key message: Eating gluten-free is considered a new, popular diet and becoming more common than ever. This is the first gluten-free product that this particular food manufacturer has created.
These key messages can be tailored based on specific publications and its readers whether it’s a food or medical magazine or a gossip blog. Gluten-free is used in two contents; 1. People who actually can’t eat it (allergies and health) or 2. People who use it (socially) as a dietary excuse.
C. A university is kicking off their alumni drive
Key message: This is a local event for students or past students and explaining reasons why graduate school is a great choice, especially at this selected university.
These key messages can be tailored based on specific publications and its readers whether it’s a sorority or fraternity news letter that gets sent out every week, an email to past students that attended the university or a campus newspaper that students can pick up at the student center. It’s becoming more apparent that graduate school is almost mandatory for some majors.
I definitely found these questions interesting and beneficial. I’m going to keep these in mind when writing news releases!
….and I just realized I was only supposed to choose one of the examples. ENJOY
Laura, I like all your responses. But particularly example B. about the gluten-free chip. The key message is so true because gluten-free is the popular trend these days. I have so many people at my restaurant asking if we have gluten-free meals on our menu.The sad thing is that a lot of companies haven’t caught up to the trend. I think that people eat gluten-free socially as well because others are doing it and it in turn may have been the right choice for them in the long run for health reasons.
I like for your answer for part A. A play could be tailored to a lot of different audiences, and that is something that I didn’t really think about. Any publication could be presented with a story, and it would really only take some creative thinking. There may not be a lot of different articles written in newspapers or magazines, but correlating it to date nights and other social activities could present some more local buzz about the show. For example, if some local restaurants gave discounts with anyone with a ticket stub from the theater, it may bring in more people for the show and the restaurant. Or if the show is family oriented, maybe some discounts could be given for children, and that could be an angle. Good answers for all of them though, way to be an over-achiever.
I try, Ken.
I chose the 6th question!! “What key message should this news release highlight? How can they be tailored to the format of a specific publication and its readers?” C. A university is kicking off their annual alumni drive. The key message the news release should highlight would be how excited previous alumni are to be a part of their school’s alumni association. I would also highlight the great things the alumni are doing in the community and how being a part of the alumni association has helped them in the current careers. I would tailor each press release to tie into how it would benefit each receiver. I think the “bettering the community” aspect of it is something that is becoming more and more important which can tie into community service needs for student orgs; front page of the student newspaper; on campus office newsletters etc. The question of how being a part of the alumni association has helped them in their careers is beneficial in my opinion because everyone, after graduation, is looking for the thing that will set them apart from the next person, when applying for jobs and trying to obtain that next level position. Having certain things on you resume, or being a part of specific professional organizations can be the thing that gets you the job over the next person applying. This ties directly into student everyday lives, you come to college to learn…yes. But overall your main objective is to graduate and do something amazing when you do.
Having alumni excited to participate in their alumni drive I agree should be one of the key messages in the news release. Having the excitement is known could possibly persuade other alumni that were not going to partake in the drive to maybe change their mind. They see that others are doing it and are happy to do so. “I would also highlight the great things the alumni are doing in the community and how being a part of the alumni association has helped them in the current careers.” I thought this was a great point as well because personally I do like to hear how something has helped others. To hear how helping their community through an alumni drive helped them succeed I would like to know. As you said “bettering the community” is a nice thing to read about especially when your alumni are involved. It very well could get you that leg up on the competition when it comes to landing that job.
This was a great response to the alumni drive scenario. I believe success not only comes from grades but also community service and being involved. Jobs now a days are looking for things that you have done to make a difference not only in your own life over the years, but others as well. Its great to see alumni come back to serve the community that helped them to become who they are today. Also, to add what you said about having certain things on your resume, is why I try to be involved in at least one organization throughout college so companies know that I’m well rounded. I think your angle was was awesome.
I think the “bettering the community” is a great approach for this scenario. I find this interesting because I did the same scenario but I took a totally different route. Obviously, something like this topic would have to be very local so it could relate to a lot of people in the community. You included a lot of great incentives to get more alumni of the university involved which is more than likely a major goal of the organization. I like this different angle on the scenario because it is all about what being a part of the alumni association can do for you, especially later in life.
I think tailoring each Yes, people make strong efforts to join clubs and organizations that will not only allow them to showcase their talents and passions, but will also benefit them in some way whether that’d be emotionally, socially, or financially. With that being said, I definitely agree that highlighting the excitement of other alumni and what they’re accomplishing in the association as well as in their own lives is the best focus. It may also be worth mentioning the tangible, “perks” that come along with being a part of an alumni association. Many universities offer access to different services on campus like career planning and placement, gym memberships, as well as access and discounts for other various services. Another more intricate and time consuming way one could tailor the news to the receiver, is to focus on degree-specific information by sharing how the person’s degree benefits them in different ways throughout the association. I agree, the main objective is to graduate and do something amazing afterwards, something to be proud of!
A. A world premiere play in a local theatre.
“What is in it for this particular audience? What are the potential benefits and rewards?
Having a first look at what a particular performance art company or studio has done is what’s in it for the particular audience, pretty much those that live in that community that enjoy the arts. The community members can have that ever lasting memory of being the first to witness the production. The potential benefits and rewards could be for the community and for those that put the play on as well. Those that may have heard about the play from word of mouth may attend it because they know someone that lives in that local town where the premier will be held. This brings more attention to that local theatre from the inside and out. This benefits those that brought the play to the town by maybe increasing their fan base and the long lasting loyalty of that town to go out and see more of the productions.
This was a good response regarding the content and question. I think this could benefit all 3 factors that are noted in this news release which would be the audiences, the play, and the local theater itself. This “local” theater could also potentially draw-in fans from surrounding areas as well, bringing a larger fan base. I think holding a major play in any local theater would be attention-grabbing to not only the venue, but the town or city as well. One event that can make headlines can give a lasting impression to audiences. Nice job Darius!
I like your thoughts! I definitely think this would be very beneficial if it were held in a small town because it would bring more attention to the town, and I’m sure a lot of people would pay to see the play if the local theatre made the tickets cheaper than they would be if the play were held at a different theatre. This would mean that one of the benefits for the theatre might be more money coming in due to the fact that this would probably get covered by big news stations, and most people would be willing to see a world premiere play if the price wasn’t as high as it usually is. In fact, it is the same kind of tactic as the Detroit Red Wings offering $9 per ticket on a specific day. People love getting great deals so cheaper tickets might result in an increase in attendance. In addition, an increase in profit would be great for the local theatre because the profit could be used for future renovations or maybe special effects and I’m pretty sure that this would result in even more news coverage for the theatre. I definitely agree having the chance to see it first would be what is in it for the particular audience because this would be a once in a lifetime opportunity, and it would be a cool idea for a date or a night out with the family. I think promotions for this could be endless because you could give back to your community and be the first to see a play, which sounds like a situation most people would not mind being in.
Darius, I agree with you on conveying the feeling that they will some of the first to see this play. I answered for this same event. I think that its important to determine the the type of audience that you want to reach and then angle your release towards them and to make sure you send it to papers that that kind of audience would read. I felt that it would be higher end people that would want to attend the premiere, unless of course its a family play. I was assuming it was more of a prestigious broadway play. I feel like the benefits would be for the community to get some good press. It could even possibly bring in other people from other communities.
Heidi, I didn’t even think about the long run result about possible renovations to the theatre or new special affects. The money brought into the theatre would be very beneficial. Especially date night because so many people would love to see a world premiere. Many would be giving back to the community from their attendance.
B. A food manufacturer is introducing a gluten-free chip.
Question Two: What do you want to achieve with the news release?
News releases have the purpose of creating more publicity for a company and their services/products. In this instance, I am assuming the food manufacturer has been well established through their other products and not only would they like to use this news release to inform their current customers of a new and healthy product but also attract those who would otherwise not be interested in the product if it were not gluten-free.
Organic, low fat, whole grain, no high fructose corn syrup, gluten-free, and so many more, “stamps of approval,” are guiding consumer’s decisions on which foods they buy and by which brand. I am definitely that customer – I get overly excited when I see ads that showcase my favorite brands making efforts toward becoming more beneficial health wise. I am certain there are many consumers like me, and this news release will attract the attention to this product from current customers that the manufacturer is looking for. However, if the introduction of this gluten-free chip is the kickoff to many gluten-free products to come within this company, they may be trying to achieve a change in attitude for the customers who don’t get excited or aren’t looking for those stamps of approval. Finally, this news release is working to achieve trust and credibility from people who live strict gluten-free lives that this product exists.
Another good approach to this scenario I think would be to inform people about the benefits of eating healthy. Then they could connect this with the release of their new product. There a lot of people out there who don’t even understand what “gluten-free” means. Organic, low fat, whole grain, no high fructose corn syrup, gluten-free are things we hear all the time, but in what ways are these things positive for our lives? A lot of companies talk about the healthiness of their products, but not many elaborate on the actual benefits a person would receive. So addressing the positives of not eating gluten would be a great angle for the company. If this was the goal of the company’s press release, then I am sure that it would be the release of their new product even more successful.
Definitely! So many people buy things based off of what’s, “in,” and what they hear is good for them. In this instance, a company would actually benefit from taking the guess work out of what gluten-free actually means for a product.
Many people don’t take the time to do research on their own— the more a company elaborated on the benefits of their, “healthy” food, the more people are going to find them credible and purchase it.
I think following the trend of healthy foods is going to generate a lot of publicity, because so many people pay attention to what goes into their foods now. I like how you made it relate to you personally and noticed what kind of food advertisements have personally worked before. Being able to recognize what resonates for yourself is a skill that is important in PR, and could be helpful in the future.
I liked Abbey’s response too, about how informing the public could be very beneficial for the company as well. I am not a very big health nut, but I would probably sit down and read about the different options if it were presented in a fun, easy to read way. It was mentioned in the first paragraph about gaining new customers, and I think it is very possible because health is such an important issue to everyone.
Good ideas.
I couldn’t agree with you more! I chose the same scenario but different question. However, we had similar answers. Adding a gluten-free product to this brand’s product line will be extremely beneficial, considering its’ quality and taste, and it could mean more gluten-free foods for the product as a whole. If this is the case, how will you achieve the publicity for that in your news release? You are correct in saying that the point of a news release is to create publicity, among other things, but which point are you planning on focusing your audiences’ attention on more? Do you think it’s more important that they know about the one product or that the company could possibly be expanding the entire product line to have gluten-free options?
C.)
The question that I want to focus on is “what is the goal the organization is pursing?” With this particular scenario, the alumni drive, I think the goal of the entire event is to raise money. Generally that is what Alumni events are intended for. To keep the alumni involved because they tend to donate a good amount of money to their university or organization. Depending on the size of the university, the events can be huge and potentially a great money maker.
So this press release should be all about announcing the event and attempting to increase turnout for it. It is an annual event, so chances are many people in the community have heard about it, but making sure it gets in prints informs people of when and where it will be. This can draw in alumni that just recently graduated and didn’t know about the event, and bring in more alumni that have never attended before.
The press release should encourage people to attend. Maybe the organization could talk about some of the highlights that will be at the event. Possibly, use a tactic or incentive to encourage people’s attendance. By doing all of this, the organization will be further along in pursuing their goal of raising money at the event.
I like they didn’t be around the bush and cut straight to the point of most alumni events, fundraising. I agree with what you said about the importance of keeping alumni involved in the potential for a large-scale event depending on the size of the University.
As in almost all PR work, the primary goal is getting people to show up. Once they show up, the rest tends to be pretty simple and just sort of flows naturally. I agree that a press release is a good call.
I would, however, like to argue as a member of residence life here at our university that perhaps the goal of the organization is school spirit above all else. The entire reason that alumni associations exist, in my opinion, is that they take pride in where they come from. They have school spirit.
Without that school spirit I’m not sure that alumni associations would be able to exist let alone thrive.
I love your idea of the incentive. I am the events intern at EMU’s alumni relations office and we use incentives all the time to get alum to attend! They love it! We will have different give aways for all the events and the first 150 guests get one! Its always real successful. I also agree that it should highlight what will be at the event. No one wants to go to something when they don’t even know what is going to be going on. You are right in saying that there are already people planning on going since it is an annual event. However it would be great to get new people to attend and have an even better turn out then last year!
B. A food manufacturer is introducing a gluten-free chip.
What is the subject of the message? What is the specific focus of this release?
I think the subject of the message is the food manufacturers letting everyone know that they are releasing a new gluten-free chip. The company what’s to target their current customers and anyone that cannot have gluten. With the new audience I presume would be the people that cannot have gluten and they notice this new manufacturer is putting out a new chip that they can enjoy, so they might be persuaded to buy it. I think this ties into what the specific focus of this news release would be. Letting it be known that a new product is coming on for one, and also that it targets certain people. For instance, those people who have Celiac disease. The news release would be geared towards those types of people because they are the target consumer. I think focusing the message towards those that eat gluten-free will help boast sales for the manufacturer especially if they are just diving into the gluten-free market. New products come to the market all the time, I think this food manufacturer coming out with a gluten-free chip is trying to reach more consumers. I think because gluten-free has become so popular that manufacturers kind of have to keep up with the masses. If they don’t get into gluten-free the next company will and that company will be wondering why their sales have slumped.
I like it. Simple and straightforward. The ability to open a product to a new target market or otherwise untouched market has great potential for any company. Gluten-free is becoming a nice trend in our society right now.
From celiac disease to clever diets, everyone is looking for products that they used to eat every day with gluten in them that they can find without. A similar trend happened not even a decade ago when everyone started switching from regular sugar to artificial sweeteners.
Everyone strives to be ahead of the curve and to dominate the market. Session event as a food manufacturer introducing a gluten-free product is allowing a company just that opportunity.
Ken
A.
I chose the third question, “What is in it for this particular audience? What are the potential benefits and rewards?”
For an exclusive world premiere in a local theater, I would try to present the angle of the public missing out on a once in a lifetime opportunity. It really wouldn’t matter if the theater gets a lot of big name shows coming through, a premiere is always newsworthy because it is something that has never been seen before. I would acquire interesting background information (about the screenwriters, set design, cost, budget, time of production, actors and actresses, etc.), and I would also see what quotes are available from the cast and directors.
I would also find out about the content of the play and try to cater the news release to people that would be interested in that particular type of show or play.
Also, knowing the theater is local could be very beneficial because I would attempt to inspire people to come out and support their community arts program. It would be in the community’s best interest to have a thriving arts scene and coming out and seeing a show would ensure such programs for the future. It could be a bit of a “hometowner” sort of pitch.
The main point is the premiere aspect, and the fact that opening night for the show will only happen once. Being a part of a successful opening night would be rewarding to many who enjoy live entertainment.
Kenneth, I like your idea of having having quotes and some background info about the screenwriters, set design..etc. Sometimes I just want to make my own judgement of why I should go to an event, other than because it’s a “local” show; background information is extremely important. For example, past plays that the director has directed or the large amount of time that these actors and actresses have been working on this specific play, then I know it will be good. Nice job!
I agree that quotes would be great to include in the news release! Sometimes the set design is the expected wow factor and other times it might just be that the screenwriter is one of the best in the field, but I’m sure most people would want to know what is so special about the play that they must see it. It is also a really great idea to present it as missing out in a once in a lifetime opportunity because this places urgency on the message and enforces people to go out and buy a ticket for the show. In addition, people would definitely want to see the show if the budget was pretty high because they would automatically assume the play should be outstanding since it wasn’t limited by expenses. However, it would also be great if an actor talked about one scene that isn’t something you ever saw before or has been done in any other play.
a. A world premiere play in a local theatre
…”What key message should this news release highlight? How can they be tailored to the format of a specific publication and its readers?”
If a world premiere is occurring, it’s obviously a very big deal. Even more so perhaps if it has to do with a play and/or the theatre. now, note that it says in a local theatre. That’s why I picked this question.
The key message that should be highlighted in this news release is a world premiere is happening in a local venue. That venue, for all intents and purposes, should be made to look like the Hollywood red carpet at the Oscars. The key message should be pretty simple, “Come to your local venue for a world premiere event.”
Now, how can that be tailored to the format of a specific publication and its readers? It sort of depends on where this venue is. What theatre is this at? What city is in? What is the population of the city demographically? Those little details about her location make all the difference.
If it is a theatre and not a theater, then one would assume that it is an older town. If the older town is able to support a world premiere event, one would assume that the town has money. Where there is a town of money, there is a town full of people. Where there is a town full of people, there is times of marketing and advertising. PR should be no different.
I would suggest an immediate release press release with information on the venue the world premiere play and all of those little details that I mentioned above that make all the difference. I would also make sure that all of the small shops such as coffee houses, hair and nail salons, and any other place where you would find magazines such as a local hospital waiting room etc. would have plenty of reading material that is all been exposed to PR for the event.
A world premiere play in a local theatre.
“What do you want to achieve with the news release? Is the objective to inform, to change attitudes and behaviors, or to increase attendance at a local event?
With this news release I want to achieve attention. I want the public to know about this play premiere so that they will attend the event. The goal would be to spread the word of this event to the whole community and possibly beyond. I would send the news release to multiple papers in the surrounding area so that we would be increasing our chances of having a good turn out.
For this news release there are a few objectives. The first is obviously to inform people of the premiere and the another would be to increase the attendance of the event. Depending on the success of the theatre before would determine the fact if it were to change attitudes or behaviors of the theatre. If it was not so popular before and maybe wasn’t doing so well than the release could definitely be used to change the communities attitudes towards the theatre.
With this kind of release I think it would need to be catered towards a more higher end of the community. With it being a premiere you would want it to be a more mature crowd so that is the type of papers I would send the release to.
I completely agree with what your objective is for this particular situation, A play is seen to be in most cases a more upscale event especially depending on the theatre that is holding the performance. So hitting for a more mature crowd is the way to go as long as it is not youth theater. I also really liked how you put a focus on how it is not just to increase attendance but also to inform people of the premiere itself, since many people might not be familiar with the theaters calendar of shows or even the theatre itself.
I agree with you that your overall objective should be to grab your audiences’ attention with this news release. They will be your ultimate turn out for the event so to grab and keep their attention will be crucial. How would you recommend changing the attitude of your audience if the event had been a “flop” at the theatre before? And what would you recommend as far as how to change the attitude of your audience? How can you adjust the perception of a large group of people with a press release about an event? I agree that it would definitely be geared towards a specific audience and, yes, more than likely a mature one but what if the press release was also geared towards an audience of young adults who are passionate about the theatre? The more people that come to this event and enjoy themselves will ensure future successes for this local theatre and create a lot of credibility for them with the success of a world premiere.
The situation that strikes me the best is “A world premiere play in a local theatre” because of my background interest in acting. The question that I then asked myself is; what do you want to achieve with the news release? Is the objective to inform, to change attitudes and behavior, or to increase attendance at a local event? In relationship to this situation what I would want to achieve with the news release would be to increase attendance at this local event. This would be done by aiming my news release towards local newspapers and news networks to spread awareness of the production to the community. Depending on the reputation of the theatre that the play is going to be performed at I would then make the decision whether to widen the audience of my story because in the end my objective is to have the highest attendance numbers that I can achieve for the performance. Thereby increasing the awareness of not just the show but the theatre for future performances as well.
B) A food manufacturer is introducing a gluten-free chip
What is the subject of the message? What is the specific focus of this release?
From my research, I understand that gluten is a major concern for people who are diagnosed with Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity and that gluten-free foods actually have more calories than foods that aren’t gluten-free.
In addition, you are losing nutrients when you eat only gluten-free foods so it may not be the best decision to cut it out entirely if you don’t need to.
However, the New England Journal of Medicine reports 55 diseases can be caused by eating gluten and gluten is also linked to anxiety, depression, dementia, migraines and autism.
So I think the specific focus for this release would be to allow yourself to still be able to indulge in an unhealthy snack, but not at the cost of your health.
It would also be great to throw in statistics into the release, such as how 99% of people who have a gluten problem aren’t aware of it. And this isn’t to say gluten is completely bad for you, but we each need to place a limit on how much we intake because there is a point where we have put more gluten in our body than our body should actually have.
So the subject of this message is keeping up with your health but not having to give up your favorite snack, and the release would focus on making people more aware that gluten isn’t just a problem for people who have Celiac disease because it can affect anyone and it can lead to future problems if you aren’t careful about how much gluten you are putting into your body.
Who is this message designed to reach?
I think this message should be aimed at those who are unaware gluten can be a problem because most journalists would assume you would plan to target someone who knows they have a gluten problem, but what about those who aren’t even aware that gluten is a problem?
In addition, I think it would be great to design this message to reach families with young children because many mothers are concerned about their child’s health and I’m sure they would want to know more about ways to prevent their child from future problems, such as depression or autism.
What are the potential benefits and awards for the audience?
The benefit for the audience is that having good health does not mean you will no longer have options for snacks, and cutting out some gluten might actually help improve your mood and your level of energy might increase. In addition, the benefit is being aware that gluten is a problem but you have the power to control it by making a decision to eat a gluten-free snack so your intake isn’t as high. And so the award is that you can have your chips and have none of the guilt you would have by eating chips that aren’t gluten-free.
What is the goal?
I think the goal would be for the company to sell more bags of chips than other companies and find a way to express the urgency of buying gluten-free chips by informing customers of health risks that are caused by gluten.
What do you want to achieve?
The primary objective would be to change attitudes and behavior because a lot of people aren’t concerned that much about gluten and the release would aim to tell them that they should be more concerned than what they really are.
What key messages should this news release highlight?
It should highlight the number of people who are affected by gluten, but also include that 55 diseases can be caused by eating gluten and 99% of people don’t even know they have a gluten problem.
Question: What is in it for this particular audience? What are the potential benefits and rewards?
B) A food company introducing a gluten-free chip
I chose this question because Gina is always emphasizing the “So what? Who cares?” so I thought I’d give it a shot.
For this particular audience a gluten-free chip is beneficial not only because a new flavor of chip is being introduced but also because it is a healthier version of the chips they’ve known and loved. The audience is, of course, their current target market, however their target market will now expand to a gluten-free or more health conscious audience. For both, this chip is for people who either watch their gluten intake for overall health or if they have a gluten intolerance. This new chip will benefit the company as well because they will be able to gage the popularity of the gluten-free chip and then consider expanding their product line which in return will benefit the audience of the press release. This audience will benefit, especially if they eat specifically gluten-free, because with the popularity of this chip will come more gluten-free products by this brand which will expand the variety in the audiences gluten-free diets. If this product is popular it is a win-win situation for the company and the audience so that is what should be stressed in the press release, in not as many words. What should be stressed in the press release is that there is the possibility of more gluten-free products by this company in the future and that it will be beneficial for their audience in that sense.
The situation I picked was B. A food manufacturer is introducing a gluten-free chip. The question I chose to answer for this particular situation was, who is this message designed to reach?
When putting out this news release I feel like you would be aiming to reach a wide variety of people. First and foremost would be the people who have Celiac’s disease or a gluten intolerance who would benefit the most form such a product. In an article by CBS news about the rise in people with a gluten intolerance over the past few decades, it is estimated that nearly 2 million American have Celias’s disease. That’s a lot of people who could potentially be buying your new chip!
In addition to the people who actually suffer from a gluten and wheat intolerance, I feel like you would also be trying to reach the people who are trying to eat healthier and have jumped on the gluten-free fad diet bandwagon. I know from working at a restaurant that this fad diet is a very real thing. Gluten is mostly found in breads, wheat and other things people deem are “carbs” and “unhealthy,” so by not only marketing your new chip as gluten-free but also a healthier alternative, you’d be able to reach this audience as well.
Lastly, I feel like this message could also reach parents of children with Celiac’s or with a family history of Celiac’s, who are trying to teach their children to either live with the intolerance, or to eat healthier as to avoid the possible side effects the disease causes. I know a girl I work with whose mother has Celiac’s and although this girl has never showed symptoms of a gluten intolerance herself, she still eats a gluten free diet to avoid the possibility of developing the intolerance. If you as me, I think a lot of it is psychological…. but hey, it never hurts to encourage people to eat healthier, especially children!
I am choosing A. A world premiere play in a local theatre, and the 6th question, “What key message should this news release highlight? How can they be tailored to the format of a specific publication and its readers?”
A key message that should without question be highlighted in the news release is that it will be a world premiere play. That means that this local theatre will be hosting a show that no audience has ever seen before.
By tailoring the news release towards the members of the city itself, it bring a sense of pride and excitement to those who live in the city where the play will be performed. Also, this could be a great opportunity to reach out to nearby cities and have people from there come to the local town. Maybe the news release could even incorporate a “dinner and a show” the night of the opening. For example, if you bring your ticket to this specific restaurant after the show, you’ll receive 20% of your entire bill (or something to that affect). This will create partnerships with other businesses in the city that will get them excited about the play opening in their town because it will benefit them in return. Also, reaching out to any of the nearby school’s theatre departments or drama clubs would be an awesome way to bring students who are interested in the performing arts to the theatre. Perhaps a student discount could be offered? And the best thing about theatre students is they always have about ten other friends they want to bring with them!