Boiler plates - a good idea out of control

published 2003

A consequence of the proliferation of US companies releasing information in this market is the now commonplace use of ‘boilerplates’ on media releases.  And it’s an import that Australia can well do without. 

A web search of USA and Australian companies showed that nearly every USA company had one, but few Australian companies had bothered with them at all.

The definition of a boilerplate is; ‘a piece of sheet (plate) metal used for the construction of a boiler’. 

Boilermakers used to stamp their company details on the end plate of the boiler.  This could range from just the name and city of the maker to quite elaborate slogans. 

The most well known slogan would be that of the Australian-made Furphy water carriers of the First World War - “Good better best, never let it rest, ‘til your good is better and your better best.” 

Boilerplates on the end of press releases however have (with a few exceptions) unfortunately moved on from being simple details about the company to laundry lists of products made by a company, endless fact and figures including employees, countries served, awards won, and long phrases consisting of meaningless industry jargon. 

In short, they’ve lost their purpose.

If you are an Australian company and find it necessary to use a boilerplate - and there can be compelling reasons to have one - here are a few tips:

• Try and limit it to between 30 and 50 words.
• Keep focussed - it’s about who you are, what you do and where you do it.
• If you have trouble in keeping it short, delete every jargon word.
• If it’s still too long, cut unnecessary adjectives.
• These are the days of the web as a reference/research tool.  So, instead of including everything you would like a journalist to know, supply a simple link to the relevant part of your web site.

Australian subsidiaries of foreign companies, especially American ones, face an uphill battle in changing the parent-designed boilerplate.  But that’s no reason not to try and make it relevant.  Here are a few ideas that may help:

• Acknowledge that the boilerplate does have a role (and is a good idea).
• Suggest however that as a US company trying to ‘act local’ perhaps they should understand that boilerplates as they are prepared in the US aren’t always appropriate in Australia.
• Suggest that Australia be given the opportunity to draft a boilerplate that might work better in this market.
• Include in that boilerplate a brief description not only of the US/worldwide operation, but also its representation/size in Australia so it is more relevant to local media.
• Try and reduce the number of words used in the boiler plate to less than 100. 
• Volunteer a process whereby the parent can keep control over what is used here.

Also, remind head office that Australian journalists want news and information about Australia.  If they receive a release written in American English (even if it’s only in the boilerplate) then they will assume the release has been written in America.

Consider this as well… when was the last time a journalist in a reputable publication took a boilerplate (or even part of one) and used it in their story?  If they are not being used (or more correctly can’t be used because of how they are supplied) what’s the point in including them?  If they add nothing and are simply a distraction to the real news that the organisation wants the media to run why bother?

It’s time to get back to basics and trim boilerplates back to what they were originally intended as… basic information.

Note: The author of this article is a Sydney based senior independent corporate PR consultant who works exclusively with PR Managers helping them with management of the PR Department or their relationship with their PR agency. In addition he provides specialist corporate PR and communications advice where issues or change are impacting on an organisation. He also blogs regularly on PR and communications topics similar to those in this article.