My Type A personality loved the exercise because there as a clear formula to it: a headline and subhead followed by a dateline and strong introductory paragraph, followed by a few more paragraphs and quotes, and rounded out with a link for more information and a boilerplate. It was a clear and simple way for a company to communicate any announcement – company update, new product, customer win, or industry event. And the process of sharing with media was just as simple – pitch under embargo, share with reporters day-of, perhaps secure a couple of interviews, and then track the coverage as it rolled in.
For a long time, this was the formula to a successful PR activation: press release + pitch = coverage. But somewhere in the last few years, the press release suddenly became “old school” and the process of drafting a release and pitching it out no longer equated to guaranteed media wins.
Thanks to a faster and more crowded news cycle than ever before, new channels, and changing audience demographics, the press release has shifted from the PR Holy Grail to just one tool in a comms team’s arsenal. Don’t get me wrong, the press release still plays a role in company storytelling, but it cannot be the only vehicle to tell the story.
Storytelling for Today’s Audience & Channels
The old phrase of “show don’t tell” has never been more relevant. In an oversaturated media landscape, where each headline is bigger and bolder than the last, telling a story that is visual, impactful and relatable is key.
There are easy ways to achieve this through stats and data that support your story or message, customer examples with tangible, relatable results, and imagery to bring the story to life. This takes a press release from marketing jargon on paper to a story a reporter (and ultimately, the everyday reader) can understand the importance of.
But that is just scratching the surface. As we look to 2026, the best told stories will not just be told with a press release but through multiple channels to maximize their reach and impact.
The best storytellers will leverage video and interactive landing pages that create experiences viewers and visitors will remember and connect with. They will tap into mediums like TikTok to reach new audiences with content that is quippy and viral. They will find ways to engage with their audiences in real-time, whether it’s through LinkedIn Lives or real-life activations, that create experiences not just share news. They will use social media to tell their story through real people, not just a corporate landing page.
Creating Campaigns that Resonate in 2026
The next time your client or boss comes to you asking to put together a strategy for a big PR moment, I challenge you to not center your plan around the press release. Don’t get me wrong! The press release should still be part of it, but a multi-pronged approach is the key to success.
Take the opportunity to step back and think about what really makes the news interesting and who it will be most interesting too. From there, craft a strategy that puts a spotlight on the “so what?” – Maybe it’s a product update that is best shared via a LinkedIn Live that gives people, reporters included, the ability to ask questions in real-time. Maybe it’s a people-focused company update that will mean more coming directly from the CEO’s social profiles and a candid video delivering the news. Maybe it’s fast-paced TikTok video that rattles off five facts in a way a Gen Z viewer will remember and repeat.
While my Type A personality loves the cut and dry format of the press release, we have to remember that: 1. Public relations at its core is a creative field and 2. Our ultimate goal is helping brands tell their story. A press release doesn’t always cut it and that’s okay. As PR practitioners, our job is to keep a pulse on what’s relevant, who it’s relevant to, and meeting that audience where they’re at. New and more crowded channels present new challenges but also new opportunities for storytelling, as long as we’re willing to think outside-of-the-box to utilize them.
Want to up-level your storytelling? Reach out to our team of communications experts today.
