Crafting a press release that stands out can be challenging at the best of times, and in the time of COVID-19 there is even more to consider. You don’t just want to be informative and timely, but helpful and even uplifting if possible. You want to balance the need for communicating about your brand and products without appearing to capitalize on the difficult situation we are all navigating.
With that in mind, we at Cision created a guide for those crafting a COVID-19 related press release, including real examples of press releases we have approved and refused. We are proud of PR Newswire’s reputation as a trusted source for the media and strive to maintain high standards in the releases we distribute.
Want some examples?
COVID-19 QUINTUPLES DEMAND FOR MEDICAL-GRADE INFRARED CAMERAS FOR SMALL TENNESSEE BUSINESS
This is an unsubstantiated health claim surrounding COVID-19, and therefore would be rejected. Any content in the pharmacy or larger realm of health that makes extraordinary health claims- especially related to this particular virus- is immediately flagged and escalated for review.
That's a fictionalized example of a press release that would be refused. In contrast, here's one that was accepted and distributed:
KINEMAGIC, THE SOFTWARE COMPANY CREATING DIGITAL TWINS, IS NOW PROVIDING FREE ACCESS TO VIRTUAL MEETING TECHNOLOGY IN RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
This brand has changed their business model in order to help their target audience during a difficult time. It’s both helpful and uplifting. We’ve seen many press releases around brands doing similar things, and those always get approved.
