Media Kits, a top priority that often gets left to the last minute Published December 2003 The most common packaging for a major announcement media release is the media kit. Love them or loath them, they are an essential item in supporting your release and increasing its chances of being picked up by journalists. But there’s a problem… they rarely get the attention they deserve. This is partly because they have become thought of more as a commodity than as an essential communication tool. Also, media kits are something that have to be done, usually at the last minute, and those compiling them don’t always do so giving sufficient thought to the individual components. So, let’s open the media kit folder and see what should be inside. The media release It sounds simple, but how often do people tailor the release to different media streams. For consumer brand releases, there’s usually one for general distribution and one for the retail trade. But if you think about the general consumer media, that too can be split into a number of sub-groups, especially if your product spans both lifestyle and technology. Magazines in particular may need a significantly different release to newspapers. These nuances should be addressed in relation to the release. The backgrounder Backgrounders are included so journalists can tailor the release to their particular audience. Backgrounders give details ‘behind the product’. This can take the form of reference to famous designers, engineers or the latest technologies employed in bringing the product to market. It can include details on the company itself that bring relevance to the product or the story. Ask yourself what extra information a journalist may need to tailor the story, and that’s what should be in the backgrounder. The fact sheet Fact sheets should not be confused with backgrounders. Fact sheets summaries the most important facts and figures. A fact sheet contains the specifics that quantify your story or release. Keep fact sheets short. Where a backgrounder can run three or more pages (if details warrant it) a fact sheet should be one page only, simply laid out and containing mainly bullet points. Management and influencer bios If senior management are used to leverage the release through quotes, supply a bio of each person quoted. The same applies to any celebrities who may be part of the launch or linked in some way to the product. With bios it is necessary to think about your language style. For media that reports facts, use the standard form of writing… "Mr Smith started with the company in 1976 as assistant product manager responsible for…" Alternatively, for publications that like to tell a story rather than report facts, consider a more narrative style… "Mr Smith is regarded as a rising star within the company and is often seen on the speaking circuit championing…" Photos and graphics Media kits should also contain graphic materials such as product shots and photos of anyone whose bio is in the media kit. Also consider other graphic material such as corporate logos, graphs and charts that could relate to corporate or product growth, the size of the market you are dealing with, or anything else that is referred to in the press release that would benefit from being graphically represented. If you have a number of photos and graphics, consider including a CD-ROM containing the files as well the prints themselves. The Online Media Kit Hard copy media kits are usually done to package and support a news release and can therefore be somewhat tailored to suit the news being announced. But what about journalists looking for information on your web site? What can you do for them? Assuming you have a newsroom on your web site, you should make available the means for journalists to build a basic kit. If journalists see the works ‘Media Kit’ as a navigation bar of link, then they know they don’t have to search your site to get the information they’re looking for. All you need on the Media Kit part of your site are the basics: Backgrounders Fact sheets Executive bios Executive photos Colour and black & white logos If they want current releases or copies of your annual report they can add these items from the appropriate pages of your site - here you’re just making it easy to obtain basic corporate information in the fastest was possible. Maybe take a quick look at samples of the last three or four media kits you prepared and see if they covered off on these basic inclusions. And take a look at your web site to see if there’s room for a Media Kit page. It really is worth the effort.

PR Influences Australian Public Relations Newsletter. Article: Public Relations Examples: Media Kit Contents. Information Content: Media & Media Relations