In a future post I will attempt to tackle the art of writing a good press release. Regardless of writing style and general format, one of the things that most people forget to have is a good idea. If you don't have an angle on your story you won't be able to write a good press release. It's quite hard though to find press releases which show off how NOT to do it. Luckily help is at hand in the form of Lost In Showbiz (where howlers come to die) - a brilliant and unmissable collection of some of the worst press releases going. You can learn more by reading these terrible releases than reading ten times as many good ones. Next time you write a release, compare them to this site. If you're in the same ballpark, don't do it. Here is my favourite, but do visit the site too to see some other corkers (inline comment from Lost In Showbiz, not me)
Forwarded Message From: coalitiongroup.co.uk Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:19:02 +0000 Subject: The Charlatans Downloads now at over 60,000 in one week The Charlatans Over 60,000 Downloads in one week The Charlatans’ new album, ‘You Cross My Path’, has been downloaded over 60,000 times since it was made available on Xfm’s website last Monday – a phenomenal number which would have seen the album enter the UK chart at number two if conventionally released [LIS - erm, except it wouldn't as then people would have had to pay for it, which might have put a good few off, surely?]. The album is currently available as a free download on www.xfm.co.uk. Says the band’s manager, Alan McGee: “I feel we are totally vindicated with the philosophy that if you go free and make a great record, you can exceed your dreams. No longer does music have to work in the traditional major label dominated way. Long live the Charlatans.” Says the band’s vocalist Tim Burgess: “When Alan McGee and I had this idea 18 months ago, we never imagined that it could be this successful. It’s a tribute to people’s belief in us and if we were in the shops, 20 years after the Charlatans started, we would be the number two most popular group in the country this week – going free was the best thing for us. Thanks to everyone that has downloaded the record, cheers.” Wow. This really put Radiohead and Trent Reznor in their place. Not.
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